The distribution of campylomma is often clustered, thus a fairly high number of trays is required to accurately sample a population. Additionally, because factors such as weather during the pre-bloom period can influence campylomma hatch and activity, multiple samples throughout the pink to petal fall period are often required to establish that an orchard is clean. A brief review of the life history of campylomma is needed to help explain how pheromone traps might be used to improve monitoring and management programs for this pest. Campylomma overwinters as an egg on a woody host such as apple. Most adults leave the orchard and complete 1 or 2 generations on herbaceous hosts, especially mullein.
Adults return to orchards in late summer to mate and lay overwintering eggs.
Within the orchard, female campylomma release a sex pheromone to attract potential mates. Thus, it is during this migration back to apple orchards that pheromone traps can be used as a monitoring tool. The sex pheromone of campylomma has been identified and researchers have determined that adult males are highly attracted to a trap baited with a synthetic copy of this pheromone. For the past two years, we have been assessing the utility of pheromone traps for monitoring the return of campylomma to apple orchards in late summer. Our studies suggest that a single wing trap baited with campylomma pheromone provides a good assessment of campylomma movement into about a 10 acre apple block.