Evaluation of the Ovicidal and larvicidal activity of essential oils of three plant species on Fig Moth, Ephestia cautella (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Most of date palm stores in Iraq are exposing to the infection of fig moth, Ephestia cautella (Walker) which caused considerable losses in quality and quantity of these nutritional products. This pest contaminates dates in warehouses, which makes customers to find the infected dates unfit for consumption. Current study covered the efficiency of rosemary, lemongrass and eucalyptus essential oils as ovicidal and larvicidal agents against E. cautella. Egg hatching inhibition attained 60.2% as a rate of three concentrations (5, 10,15%) of essential oil of eucalyptus, which statistically exceeded that of rosemary and lemon grass essential oil (33.6, 46.7%) respectively. Effect of three concentrations of tested essential oils on early larval instar of E. cautella for 72 hours of exposure revealed that essential oil of lemon grass at concentrations of 10 and 15% realized best results, in which corrected mortality attained 52 and 60% respectively. Regard to mortality of late larval instar of E. cautella the rosemary and eucaluptus essential oils achieved best result when had been treated with concentration of 15%.