Fishing – trapping – and vermin destroying – Vermin destroying – Insect
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-08
2002-01-22
Ark, Darren W. (Department: 3643)
Fishing, trapping, and vermin destroying
Vermin destroying
Insect
C043S125000, C043S900000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06339897
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention discloses a method and apparatus for electronic distribution of small accurately metered amounts of materials which can control behavior of insects and pests for the benefit of mankind.
2. Background of Related Art
Pheromone dispensing is being widely studied as a means to control pests and has been used in orchards and other agricultural environments for this purpose. Control of pathogenic pests that attack crops, forests, people, pets, and livestock is a monumental universally important task. Blanket spraying of toxic pesticides has caused environmental damage, which is now just beginning to be halted or reversed because of dangers and unanticipated consequences. Biotechnology is being employed in emerging “green” methods of pathogen control with discrete, precisely timed and monitored application of substances for control. Continued precision targeting of natural chemicals or chemical which mimic natural chemicals will be the key to a minimally-disruptive pest control system. The ultimate version of this approach is the use of insect pheromones, of which a mere few hundred molecules can suffice to lure pathogenic organisms into traps or away from target crops. Disruption of mating can reduce or even eliminate the next generation of insect pests. Pheromones can also be used to lure predatory and beneficial insects into a field for crop protection. These non-toxic environmentally safe developments promise an exciting new era in crop protection.
Most of the common damaging insects, such as the codling moth, do their damage in the adult stage after mating. They penetrate developing fruit in large numbers to lay eggs which develop into larva which produce unsalable product at harvest time. Emergence of the adults is sometimes referred to as the biofix point which is usually based upon a certain number of degree days. The female moths emerge in different orchards, as many as four or five days apart. Females release pheromones which form a plume in wind that spreads and dilutes as it flows downstream. Females may harbor up to a picogram of pheromone when active, according to some researchers. Males have species-specific binding proteins which detect these pheromones and lead to mate seeking activity. It has been reported that males initiate upwind direct flight or “zig zag” flight in an attempt to reach the source of the sensory sensation. It is known that insect flight for mating occurs mainly in the dusk-to-dawn period and not during daylight hours. Cost effective control has been reported on a commercial scale despite the very high cost of pheromones which are sometimes referred to as semiochemicals. A discussion of semiochemicals and a specific delivery system is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,844, incorporated herein by reference.
Presently, pheromones are dispensed by “dumb”, generally “passive” systems that provide no control over timing or amount of pheromone dispensed. Typical dispensing systems are passive “wick” type devices or slowly evaporating mixtures of pheromones and matrix from which the pheromone is passively volatilized into the air at a relatively steady but decreasing state until depleted. Some examples of this approach include PVC/twine dispensers, novel sesquiterpene epoxides for embedding volatiles, cuticular waxes, polymeric laminated flakes (Hercon), polymer impregnated time-released dispensers, and others mentioned in the aforesaid patent reference. Some specific examples of commercial dispensing systems are known by the following names are: Sentry, Heliothis, IPS Unitrap, Multipher I, and Hartstack Wiretrap.
Such devices rely upon such processes as diffusion, breaking down of chemical bonds or degradation processes, with volatility as the only mechanism to control the amount or timing of pheromone releases. The rate at which these processes operate is usually temperature dependent. They speed up during the day when actually no usefulness is obtained with respect to night flying insects, and slow down at night when they are most needed. Once such devices are set out, there is no way to control or stop the dispersion of expensive chemicals. More pheromone is needed initially to account for natural decreases which occur as chemicals are depleted with time.
An intermittent spray of material has been proposed as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,064. This device amounts to an aerosol can with an electrically operated cam which operates a lever to open a valve. Some have referred to such devices as an aerosol “puffer”. The pressurized aerosol dispenser has a mechanically actuated push valve. Puffer devices are fairly large and also influenced by temperature. They require a propellant which may not be compatible with some pheromones. They are subject to clogging and canister failure problems. Puffer devices do enable the use of a timer to permit dispensing during the desired period and not dispensing during other periods. Droplet size control is nearly nonexistent with a wide variety of drop sizes produced. The output may vary as internal pressure in the canister drops during use. There is also a piezoelectric “buzzer” that is used to assist in the dispersement of the pheromone material into the air.
Substances to be dispensed will include pheromones, semiochemicals, and any other chemicals which have usefulness for the control of pest behavior. These materials can be synthesized from the constituent amino acids in the case of peptide pheromones and purchased from a relatively large number of commercial pheromone producers such as Ciba Geigy, Concep, Hercon and Ecogen for instance. There are three fundamental ways pheromones and related chemicals are typically used for pest control, although additional ways are not precluded.
One way pheromones are used is to lure pests to traps for simple killing or for trapping for subsequent counting. The puffer device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,064 employs an electrified grid which electrocutes the insects when they try to reach the source of attractant. Counting the number of a particular species of insect is important in determining the level of infestation as well as identifying the biofix time. The attract-and-kill method and the attract-trap-count technique both use pheromones the will attract an insect species. The most straight forward version of this approach is, for example, the use of a female insects sex lure to attract conspecific males for trapping, killing or counting. In this case, the pheromone would be naturally occurring scent materials either harvested from the females or synthesized as exact replicas of the naturally-occurring pheromone.
A second way pheromones can be used for crop protection is to dispense pheromones or seriochemicals that will lure predators to the field which naturally attack and kill pests for which control is sought.
A third approach for pest control through use of pheromones is called the “disruption” approach briefly mentioned above. Pheromones which will disrupt mating or maturation of the pest in the field are dispensed, thus stopping the production of pests that are attacking the crop. If a female sex lure causes all of the males to mate or seek to mate with the pheromone dispenser instead of mating with real females, the breeding cycle will be disrupted and real mating will not occur. In all of these cases, optimum control of these pests would be obtained by dispensing minute amounts (pico- or nano-liter volumes) of the controlling pheromone or semiochemical in an intermittent pattern that is optimally interactive with time of day, time of year and other climactic and environmental conditions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention comprises an improved apparatus and method for controlled “jetting” of pheromones “on demand” at the highest useful concentration at precisely the times and places that will maximally disrupt mating. It is useful for improved efficiency and control in the other pest control methods as well. The invention is a “smart” system which will dispense pheromones in a discrete, micro-drop-
Frederickson Christopher J.
Hayes Donald J.
Sinks Murray
Ark Darren W.
Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP
MicroFab Technologies Inc.
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