Fishing – trapping – and vermin destroying – Traps – Insect
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-26
2003-06-10
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Fishing, trapping, and vermin destroying
Traps
Insect
C424S084000, C119S719000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06574913
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a composition and procedure for manipulating the behaviour of the webbing clothes moth,
Tineola bisselliella
(Hummel) (Lepidoptera: Tineidae). In particular, this invention relates to the use of specific semiochemical and sonic signals for manipulating the behaviour of the webbing clothes moths.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Webbing clothes moths,
Tineola bisselliella
(Hum.) (Lepidoptera: Tineidae), invade and cause damage in households, textile and fur warehouses, and museums throughout the world (1-3). In temperate regions, they are economically important, causing hundreds of millions of dollars of damage in North America each year (4).
T. bisselliella
inhabits well-sheltered bird nests, dry corpses and animal lairs that are not exposed to direct light (5-7). Adults have vestigial mouthparts and do not cause damage. Larvae, however, feed year round on keratin contained in woollen goods, hair, feathers, and other animal-based products like clothing, rugs, and furniture (5). Exploratory feeding also damages synthetic textiles (8).
Pesticides are used to treat or prevent larval infestations of
T. bisselliella
. Physical control methods include vacuum (3), repeated cooling and heating (9), and sanitation of potential infestation sites (2, 4). Use of naturally occurring chemicals for control of
T. bisselliella
is increasingly preferred by the public (4). These chemicals include feeding inhibitors, repellents, and plant-based insecticides (10, 11). There is no suitable method yet for detection of incipient infestations.
Semiochemicals (message-bearing chemicals) that attract
T. bisselliella
to larval habitat and intra-specific sexual communication signals have hardly been investigated. Larva and adult
T. bisselliella
are attracted to fishmeal, fish oil, and dried meat (12). Females select oviposition sites based on their physical stimuli (13), or volatiles (14). E2, Z13-Octadecadienal and E2-octadecenal are reported sex pheromone components of
T. bisselliella
(15), but these compounds are only moderately attractive (16, 17) and unreliable for practical control situations (T. Konicek, person. communication).
There are many patents listed in the patent database under the keyword
T. bisselliella
(scientific species name for webbing clothes moth) or misspellings thereof. Most of these patents are concerned with pesticides, reporting that insects including clothes moths are killed by active ingredient(s). These active ingredients are very different from the attractive semiochemicals claimed in the subject application. Other patents are concerned with pest control devices, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,315 “Ultrasonic Pest Control Device” (20), or U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,351, “Pest Control Apparatus” (19), reporting the use of ultrasonic waves for control of pests, including clothes moths. The frequency of sonic waveforms as claimed for attraction and control of
T. bisselliella
in the subject application is in the audible low frequency range. Additional patents are concerned with chemicals that repel keratin-feeding pests including clothes moths. Diphenylurea and one synthetic pyrethroid (U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,539) (20), isoborneol (U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,131) (21), pyridyloxytrifluoromethanesulfonanilides (U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,090) (22), 5-pyridyloxy- or thiothenylcarbamoyl)barbituric acid (U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,912) (23), 5-phenylcarbamoylbarbituric acid (U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,444) (24), N′-alkyl-N′-(3,5-dimethylbenzoyl)-N-(substituted benzoyl)-hydrazine (U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,967) (25), phenoxytrifluoromethanesulfoanilides (U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,673) (26), and incense cedar associated with a multi-garment hanger device (U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,334) (27) are all claimed to protect keratinous material from attack by insects that feed on keratin. All these repellents are very different from the attractive semiochemicals claimed in this application.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
We reveal stimuli which singly or in combination attract male and female
T. bisselliella.
These stimuli include: 1. semiochemicals from larval habitat (mainly nonanal and geranylacetone) that attract males and females; 2. female-produced sex pheromone components [(E, Z)-2,13:octadecadienol and (E,Z)-2,13:octadecadienal] that attract males; 3. male-produced sex pheromone components (hexadecanoic acid methyl ester and Z9-hexadecenoic acid methyl ester) that attract males and females; and 4. male-produced sonic signals (primary frequencies: 50+/−10 Hz; 70/+−10 Hz; 110+/−20 Hz; 140+/−20 Hz and their harmonics) that attract males and females. We further reveal that combinations of these signals result in a bait optimally attractive to male and female
T. bisselliella.
The essence of the invention is the preparation and implementation of these stimuli for manipulating the behaviour of
T. bisselliella.
Stimuli can be used in all possible combinations and ratios. Stimuli compositions can be contained in, and emitted from, slow release devices or sonic microchips. Devices can be held in traps to capture attracted male and female
T. bisselliella.
The invention can be used as a diagnostic tool to help decide whether and when control of insects that feed on fur, fabric and other keratin containing products is warranted and as a means for protection of fur, fabric and other keratin containing products.
The invention is directed to a composition of chemicals for manipulating the behaviour of clothes moths, said composition comprising two or more chemicals in all possible combinations and ratios selected from the group consisting of: 1) (E,Z)-2,13:octadecadienal; 2) (E,Z)-2,13:octadecadienol; 3) hexadecanoic acid methyl ester; 4) (Z)-9-hexadecenoic acid methyl ester; 5) nonanal; 6) geranylacetone; 7) octanal; 8) decanal; 9) nonenal; 10) octenal; 11) decenal.
The invention is also directed to a sonic signal for manipulating the behaviour of clothes moths, said signal comprising one or more frequencies in all possible combinations and ratios selected from the group consisting of: 1) 50+/−10 Hz; 2) 110+/−20 Hz; 3) 70+/−10 Hz; 4) 140+/−10 Hz; 5) 165+/−30; 6) 220+/−40; 7); 280+/−40 Hz.
The invention is also directed to a combination of chemical and sonic signals for manipulating the behaviour of clothes moths, said combination comprising a composition of two or more chemicals in all combinations and ratios selected from the group consisting of: 1) (E,Z)-2,13:octadecadienal; 2) (E,Z)-2,13:octadecadienol; 3) hexadecanoic acid methyl ester; 4) (Z)-9-hexadecenoic acid methyl ester; 5) nonanal; 6) geranylacetone; 7) octanal; 8) decanal; 9) nonenal; 10) octenal; 11) decenal, and a sonic signal of one or more frequencies in all combinations and ratios selected from the group consisting of: 1) 50+/−10 Hz; 2) 110+/−20 Hz; 3) 70+/−10 Hz; 4) 140+/−10 Hz; 5) 165+/−30; 6) 220+/−40; 7); 280+/−40 Hz.
The composition can be contained in, or released from, slow release devices. The composition can be contained in, and released from, a trap that captures attracted
T. bisselliella.
The signal can be generated by a sonic apparatus contained in or associated with a trap that captures attracted
T. bisselliella.
The sonic apparatus can be an electronically activated sonic microchip.
The invention is also directed to an apparatus for attracting clothes moths, said apparatus containing a composition comprising two or more chemicals in all possible combinations and ratios selected from the group consisting of: 1) (E,Z)-2,13:octadecadienal; 2) (E,Z)-2,13:octadecadienol; 3) hexadecanoic acid methyl ester; 4) (Z)-9-hexadecenoic acid methyl ester; 5) nonanal; 6) geranylacetone; 7) octanal; 8) decanal; 9) nonenal; 10) octenal; 11) decenal.
The apparatus of the invention can emit a sonic signal for manipulating the behaviour of clothes moths, comprising one or more frequencies in all possible combinat
Gries Gerhard J.
Gries Regine M.
Takács Stephen J.
Hayes Bret
Jordan Charles T.
Oyen Wiggs Green & Mutala
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