Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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il BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
i~ Field of the Invention
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¦ The invention relates to methods and devices for
!l insect control and more particularly relates to an improved
¦~ device for dispensing light-degradable pher~mones to attract
Il insects and/or disrupt mating.
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Brief Description of the Prior Art
i In the U. S. Patent 4,017,030 a description is given
Il of micro capillary conduit employed for the containment and
controlled release of insect attractants such as the so-called
" pheromones. The micro capillary conduits of the devices are
generally described as "natural or synthetic polymeric
' materials by any of the processes commonly employed in
I producing man-made fibers. Useful materials include polyesters,
¦ polyolefins, acrylics, moaacrylics, polyamides and so on."
~any of the pheromone substances which may be contained
in the prior art micro capillary conduits and released therefrom
!l under controlled conditions are light-sensitive, i.e.; they
', degrade upon exposure to ultraviolet radiation. When the
20 iI micro capillary conduit devices containing the light-sensitive
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pheromones are deposited in fields and like insect sites,
they may be exposed to sunlight with the result that the
contained pheromone is degraded to the point of destruction
Il within a very short period of time.
By the method of my invention, the pheromones
contained in micro capillary conduit devices are protected
from ultraviolet light degradation, extending the working
life of the aevice as an insect attracting and/or a mating
disruption device.
0 !1, SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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I The invention comprises, in a device for the
,i dissemination of an ultraviolet radiation deg~adable pheromone
I which comprises an ultraviolet radiation permeable micro
!' capillary conduit container for the pheromone, the improvement
,i which comprises; an ultraviolet barrier in association with the
,¦ micro capillary conduit.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The accompanying drawing is a cross-sectional side
elevation of a preferred embodiment device of the invention.
1 DETAILED DESCRITPION OF THE PREFERRED
li EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
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In the accompanying drawing there is seen a cross-
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sectional side elevation of an embodiment device of the invention.
The device comprises a micro capillary conduit 2 having a lumen 4
closed at one end with a plug 6 of epoxy cement or like material.
The lumen 4 is filled with a pheromone which is vaporizable
i 5 from the lumen 4 through the open end of the conduit 2. The
! ~ pheromone 8 preferably has a wetting type meniscus 10 at the
I '' open end due to the material selected for fabrication of the
¦ conduit 2
The pheromone 8 may be any known vaporizable pheromone
1~ characterized in part by its degradability upon exposure to
ultraviolet radiation. Representative of such pheromones are
(Z) - 11 - hexadecenal, (E) - 11 - tetradecenal, (Z) - 9 -
tetradecenal, (Z, Z) - 11, 13 - hexadecadienal and the like.
In the prior art, micro capillary conduits 2 employed
~ to contain for controlled release the pheromones 8 were
fabricated ~rom ultraviolet radiation permeable materials
, such as ultraviolet radiation permeable, synthetic, polymeric
resins like polyethylene terephthalate. The improvement of
the present invention comprises the placement of an ultraviolet
i radiation barrier in association with the micro capillary
conduit 2. The means of association may be carried out in a
plurality of ways. In the preferred way, the material selected
for the conduit 2 is one which is impermeable to ultraviolet
radiation. Synthetic, polymeric resins may be rendered
, impermeable to ultraviolet radiation by compounding the resin
with, for example, ultraviolet radiation absorbers. A wide
variety of ultraviolet radiation absorbers are known as is
the method of their preparation.
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For example, the U. S. Defensive Publication T998, 013 (Sept.
2, 1980) describes compounds of the formula:-
R2 R3
R4
OH
wherein Rl is H or alkoxy group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms, R2 is
' H, sulphonic acid or its sodium salt, R3 is H, OH, and R4H, OH,
or methoxy group.
,I These compounds are compatible with and protective of pheromones,
,i preventing their degradation by ultra-violet radiation. The
compounds may be compounded with the resins using conventional
compounding techniques and apparatus; for example by milling,
melt dispersion and like techniques. A sufficient portion of
,j the ultra-violet light absorber is mixed with the resin to
render the latter impermeable to ultra-violet radiation.
, Other additives which may be compounded with the
~ synthetic polymeric resins for forming the hollow fibers 2
` include charcoal, carbon blacks, and like dyes or pigments
which are opaque to ultra-violet radiation and which will by
, their presence render the resin material- in the form of a micro
i capillary conduit impermezble to ultraviolet radiation. Many of
I the resins so compounded are available commercially.
; In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the
resin material containing the ultra-violet radiation impermeable
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barrier for formation of the micro capillary conduit also
contains an antioxidant.
An alternative means of associating an ultravioiet
radiation barrier with the micro capillary conduit is to
coat the fiber with an ultraviolet radiation impermeable
coating, for example, of a dark pigment.
The-following example describes the manner and
process of making and using the invention and sets forth the
best mode contemplated by the inventor but is not to be
construed as limiting.
Example
Provision is made of a quantity of a polyoxymethylene
thermoplastic polymer obtained by anionic polymerization of
formaldehyde to obtain a linear polymer having repeating
moieties of the formula:
--O--CH2--O CH2--O--CH2--
(CELCON*, Celanese Chemical Co., Division of Celanese Corp.,
N.Y., N.Y.). Provision is also made of a ~uantity of OELCON
containing a black pigment (BLACK CELCON*) which renders the
thermoplastic polymer impermeable to ultraviolet radiation.
Provision is also made of a BLACX CELCON resin compounded with
1 percent by weight of an antioxidant, e.g. BAMOX 20 BA*,
(Swift & Co.) whose major active ingredient is 2,~-di-(t-butyl)-
p-cresol.
* trade mark
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Following the general procedures described in U. S.
Patent 4,017,030, micro capillary conduits are made from each
of the CELCON and BLACK CELCON resins and the fibers are
filled with (Z) - 11 - tetradecenal. The micro capillary
conduits are exposed to the sun at a location in Arizona, for
21 days. At 7 day intervals during the period, representative
micro capillary conduits are removed and analyzed for their
content o~ active (Z) - 11 - tetradecenal. The results are
shown below.
PERCENTAGE OF ACTIVE
PHEROMONE REMAINING_
Day CELCON Fiber BLACK CELCON BLACK CELCON
with AntioxidantFiberwith Antioxidant
100 100 100
7 3 60 85
14 2 42 65
21 1.8 4 51
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