| Here are some studies that detail the effectiveness of Verbenone in controlled studies conducted by and for several Towns |
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Longevity Comparison between BeetleBlock and Contech Verbenone
In a study produced by the USDA Forest Service in Missoula, Montana in 2007, it was found that the effeciiveness longevity for BeetleBlock Verbenone was higher and longer than the Contech Verbenone. Between May 19 and September 2007 at a mean temperature between 75.4 and 76.8 degrees, the BeetleBlock pouches lasted 103 days in sun and 131 days in shade while the Contech product only lasted approximately 75 days.. This duration of effectiveness probably accounts for Contech's instructions to treat the trees twice between April and September while BeetleBlock recommends only one application during peak flight time between end May and July.
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We conclude that treatement with verbenone pouches at roughly 16.5 yd centers is a useful tool for protecting trees from attack by the mountain pine beetle provided that Verbenone is used as part of a multiyear integreated pest management program that also includes disposal of all infested trees on the area to be protected..
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Attack around trees treated with Verbenone was substantially lower than around both pheromone-baited and untreated control trees, amounting to just 13.5% overall... Our results confirm that verbenone is an effective deterrent to attack by the Mountain Pine Beetle. However, they also confirm that the effect of verbenone is not absolute.
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We conclude that the Verbenone pouch manufactured by Pherotech International is effective at reducing the risk of mass-attack by the Mountain Pine Beetle when used as directed on the label and applied at the appropriate time.
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The repellent verbenone was used in 3 subdivisions in British Columbia where previously infested trees had been removed. The mass atatck from Pine Beelte was reduced to an average of 3.6% on 3857 trees where verbenone was applied. In the untreated areas, 48.3% of 4975 trees were mass attacked. In the 4th subdivision where infested trees were not removed, control was less and 19.6% of 634 trees were mass attacked.
The number of dispensers used in these 4 communities ranged from 20-25/ac.
The conclusion was that vebenone repellent was very good in protecting trees if, as part of an integrated pest management program to reduce beetle populations, infested trees are removed before beetle flight in mid-summer. From Journal of Arboriculture & Urban Forestry, 2007
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Some often-quoted, less successful studies done in 2000-2001 used much smaller Verbenone pouches. Additionally, the pouches were less sophisticated and tended to release less of the product, resulting in under-application.
"The original pouch had 4.6 grams of active ingredient in a plastic like matrix. The new and improved pouches have 7 grams absorbed in a sponge. The sponge provides for a more uniform release rate and the larger quantity provides for a longer lasting effect."
Alan Vaudry: New Product Development Manager; Phero Tech International Inc.
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Title: Five-year operational trial of verbenone to deter mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae); Coleoptera: Scolytidae) attack of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta).
Author: Progar, R.A.
Date: 2005
Source: Environ. Entomol. 34(6): 1402-1407
Description: The antiaggregation pheromone verbenone was operationally tested for 5 yr to deter mass attack by the mountain pine beetle on lodgepole pine in campgrounds and administrative areas surrounding Redfish and Little Redfish Lakes at the Sawtooth National Recreation Area in central Idaho. Each year, five-gram verbenone pouches were evenly distributed (-10 m apart) within seven of 14 0.2-ha plots. (Since 2007, pouches now contain 7 grams of verbenone, and a considerable improvement in effectiveness has been observed)
During the first 2 yr of the study a median of 12% of the host trees >13 cm dbh were attacked and killed on the treated plots, whereas trees on the untreated plots incurred a median mortality of 59%.
When more than 50% of the trees on the untreated plots were killed a detectable beetle response to verbenone on the treated plots dramatically declined...It is hypothesized that the lack of response to verbenone after 2 yr may be related to both population size and spatial scale, i.e., large numbers of vigorous beetles in a severely pressured area that has a reduced number of preferred large-diameter trees (due to previous lack of treatment) become crowded and stressed, causing a decline in the response to verbenone, thus moving into the treated area despite its pheromone. The imperative became "move or perish".
However, even though the beetles eventually attacked the treated are, the 2-yr delay in widespread pine mortality offered by Verbenone would have given land managers time to use other management tactics to deter catastrophic loss of trees in the untreated areas as well as the treated one.
We feel that Verbenone, used annually in areas that are not yet SEVERELY stressed, but are experiencing damage, will give our customeres time to cut infested trees to keep the pressure down, thus continuing the excellent response to Verbenone as a deterrent.
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Verbenone Pine Beetle Repellent