SEXUAL CONFUSION: THE BIOLOGICAL CONTROL IN THE VINEYARD

Many people, when visiting our winery, ask us to share interesting facts about our daily work in the vineyard or winery. Well, we’d like to tell you about the biological control taking place in our vineyards, a phenomenon also known as sexual confusion, which helps us manage pests effectively.

Every March, with the arrival of spring, it’s time to put on the gloves and take action!

The grapevine moth, also known as Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera Tortricidae), is a pest widely spread across Europe, as well as other parts of the Middle East and North, Central Africa, and certain areas of the Americas.

In Spain, it is found in almost all wine-producing regions of the peninsula. However, it causes the most significant damage in the Mediterranean arc. The substantial damage, along with the repetitive and persistent nature of this aggressive pest, makes it one of our top priorities to combat.

The lobesia, as we colloquially call it, typically appears in three generations per year, although in areas with favorable weather conditions, a fourth generation may occur.

Like other types of moths or lepidopterans (for the more knowledgeable), it can be found in nature in various forms, depending on the stage or cycle it is going through in its life:

• Adult Stage: These moths are about 6 mm long, with a wingspan of 11-13 mm.
• Eggs: Measuring approximately 1 mm, they are yellow when freshly laid but become translucent and shiny a few days later.
• Larvae: Found on grape clusters, they have a greenish color and brown head. During this phase, they grow from 1 mm to 1 cm.
• Chrysalis: Typically hidden in the bark of vines and soil, they are enclosed in a white, shiny cocoon. Their bodies are brown and approximately 5 mm long.

Now that we are familiar with its life cycle, let us explain our approach to combating it.

The insect overwinters in the form of a chrysalis, sheltered in various places in the vineyard, but primarily under the bark of the vines. With the arrival of spring, the adults of the first generation emerge, and their flight begins, lasting until May. The females of this first generation, once fertilized, lay their eggs on the vine’s inflorescences.

The second generation occurs from mid-June to mid-July, while the third generation develops in August.

It is the larvae of the second and third generations that penetrate the grape berries. These perforations create an entry point for secondary infections such as fungi from the Botrytis and Aspergillus genera.

How Can We Combat the Pest?

In the past, the control of Lobesia, as well as other pests, was carried out using chemical treatments with systemic insecticides. These not only eliminated the pest but also wiped out beneficial fauna essential for the ecosystem’s balance, such as ladybugs, lacewings, and phytoseiids (which feed on potential aphids in the vineyard). Additionally, such products are highly polluting to the environment and leave persistent residues on the grapes that we later vinify—something we strive to avoid at all costs.

In contrast, biological control has gradually been introduced to grape cultivation and has evolved over the years. This approach initially involved placing traps where male lobesia moths would become stuck, preventing them from fertilizing the females and thereby stopping egg-laying.

However, the real game-changer in recent years for tackling this devastating pest has been the adoption of “Sexual Confusion”.

…So, What is Sexual Confusion?

Sexual confusion is a technique developed in Japan that relies on the use of pheromones.

This technique involves placing a series of emitters or aroma diffusers throughout the vineyard, typically one diffuser every three vines in a perfect grid. These diffusers contain a synthesized version of the lobesia‘s pheromone—essentially, the sexual scent that the female moth releases during reproduction.

Once deployed in the field, these diffusers create an atmosphere saturated with the insect’s sexual pheromone. The males, guided by their antennae, are unable to locate the real females amidst this overwhelming scent, preventing mating and subsequent generations. We leave these males “confused”!

At Bodegas Enrique Mendoza, we were pioneers in adopting this technique in our vineyards more than 15 years ago. We have committed to pest management that is clean, efficient, convenient, respectful, and environmentally sustainable—and, of course, beneficial for our wines.

This mindset has undoubtedly guided us for a long time.

We are always focused on leaving future generations with an estate in perfect condition—at least as good as we found it—while causing the least possible impact. A vineyard like “El Chaconero” is a carefully tended space where the vines can grow and thrive, delivering their best fruit for the future. It’s about meeting present needs without compromising those of future generations. That is our philosophy. The philosophy of Bodegas Enrique Mendoza.