Codling moth does not stop at the property line.
Drone-delivered sterile insect release for Washington orchards. Turn-key, weekly, area-wide.
Drone-delivered sterile insect release for Washington orchards. Turn-key, weekly, area-wide.
Codling moth does not stop at the property line. Drone-released sterile moths meet it wherever it flies.
Sterile moths seek out the wild ones rather than waiting for them. It works best when adjoining orchards go in together.
A first generation flies May into June, a larger second overlaps it through August, and a variable third follows. Releases repeat weekly for as long as adults are flying, about 20 releases across a season.
Sterile insect release is a layer on top of your existing program, not a replacement for it. Fruit damage assessment is the definitive measure of success.
The Okanagan-Kootenay Sterile Insect Release program has run area-wide sterile insect release since the 1990s. Wild captures are down more than 92 percent and pesticide use down 88 to 97 percent since 1991.
M3 sources its sterile moths from that program. OKSIR tests flight performance, emergence rates, and mating competitiveness before shipping, so only moths that meet quality thresholds reach an orchard.
20 full-service releases over a 20-week season. 5-acre minimum. Bulk pricing above 100 acres.
Per acre, per season
| Rate | Moths per acre per week | 5 to 100 acres | 100 to 1,000 acres | 1,000+ acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half | 400 | $340 | $320 | $300 |
| Full | 800 | $425 | $405 | $385 |
| Double | 1,600 | $595 | $575 | $555 |
Half rate is the maintenance rate once SIR performance is established. Full rate suits low to medium pest pressure. Double rate suits medium to high pressure or hotspot blocks.
Every rate includes quality-controlled sterile moths and the drone release flown by our crews. Turn-key: no extra labor, tractors, or specialized equipment.
Wild captures down more than 92 percent across thirty years of area-wide release in British Columbia. See the evidence.
M3 sources the moths, keeps the cold chain, flies the releases, designs the program, and supports the monitoring. You keep the traps, the damage records, and the spray program running.
“In three to five years SIT is paying for itself.”Teah Smith, Zirkle Fruit Company
“Since then, we have really been very clean. This year, I might have seen a couple stings all season in 125 acres.”Denny Hayden, Hayden Farms, Pasco
Tell us the block, the acreage, and last season's trap counts. The first conversation assesses fit; it is not a sales call.