Cruelty to moths?

[oggbashan]

Today I went to an illustrated talk about "green" ways to control garden pests. Most involved the use of nematodes to kill bugs.

However the method used commercially to control moths that attack apples seems cruel.

A trap is hung among the apple trees. It is impregated with artificially produced female moth phemerones. The artificial phemerones are stronger scented than the female moth's natural one.

The male moths are attracted into the trap. After five days the orchard owner releases the trapped moths again.

The released moths are permanently scented with the artificial phemerone and have to fight off untreated males. The females are ignored because the treated moths can't detect them and neither can the untreated males who are too busy chasing treated males.

The reproductive cycles of the moth population is completely disordered and survivors will move elsewhere...

There might be a Lit story there.

Og

 

[john-the-author]

Today I went to an illustrated talk about "green" ways to control garden pests. Most involved the use of nematodes to kill bugs.

However the method used commercially to control moths that attack apples seems cruel.

A trap is hung among the apple trees. It is impregated with artificially produced female moth phemerones. The artificial phemerones are stronger scented than the female moth's natural one.

The male moths are attracted into the trap. After five days the orchard owner releases the trapped moths again.

The released moths are permanently scented with the artificial phemerone and have to fight off untreated males. The females are ignored because the treated moths can't detect them and neither can the untreated males who are too busy chasing treated males.

The reproductive cycles of the moth population is completely disordered and survivors will move elsewhere...

There might be a Lit story there.

Og

Whut, that you can lead men around by their dicks, even when it means they'll die for doing so? Naaaaah, too obvious!