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Sunday, 26 April 2020

Emperor pheromones use-by date?

Back in 2015 I purchased some Emperor moth pheromones from Anglian Lepidopterist Supplies, and used them with success in my garden that year. I carefully stored them afterwards at the back of the freezer, and then managed to forget all about them.

Until today - would they still be working? I hung them up in the garden at about 3pm and watched on and off for half an hour until I got bored and went back inside. My wife was in the garden after that but didn't notice any large colourful moths flying around. So eventually at about 6.30pm I went to collect the pheromones back in, wondering if they had gone past their use-by date. And that would have been that, until I suddenly noticed a male Emperor calmly sitting in the vegetation below where I had put the pheromones. I almost missed him! But very pleased I didn't, they are such gorgeous moths.


2 comments:

  1. Hi Martin,

    I have managed to really store mine incorrectly over the years, like leaving them in the boot of my car for months on end over the summer, NOT putting them in the freezer etc. However, they do seem to last a long time - I guess that even if there is a faint trace left this will still work - maybe just won't be as effective over longer distances.
    With the Emperor moth I tried my lure in my Harrow garden and was surprised when at least two males turned up.

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  2. Don't tell my other half that, I've been arguing for years that it's essential to have some entomological space in the freezer :)

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