Product List & Information

Synergy Semiochemicals Full Product List and General Information

You can download the PDF file below for the latest product list. If there is a lure or component that you do not see listed, please contact us to see if we can make it for you.

If you need some further details about our products, please see the tabs below.

Once you are ready to order, click here or contact us via email or phone. We will be happy to assist you.

Synergy Semiochemicals Product List 2022

A Guide to Synergy Semiochemical’s Lures, Tree Baits, and Repellents

Synergy’s semiochemical products are non-toxic and harmless to the environment compared to some conventional pesticides. Our products can attract or repel insects using nature’s own chemical signals and are not designed to kill insects. It is important to understand how they work, which one to use, and best practices for handling these products.

What is a Lure vs. a Repellent?

We can help you understand the distinction between attracting beetles to your trees with a tree bait or a Multitrap baited with a lure, as opposed to repelling beetles from your trees using semiochemical-based repellent devices.

Read further details in the tabs below.

What is a Semiochemical Release Device?

A release device is used to contain semiochemicals for deployment in the field.

We prepare our trap lures, tree baits, and repellent products using plastic release devices, such as flex lures, polybottles, pouches, or bubbles.
Bubble Cap

Flex Lure before packaging
UHR lure

The release rate is dependent on air temperature. Higher temperatures release the semiochemicals faster. Once the devices are deployed in the field, the semiochemicals diffuse into the air through the plastic membranes.

The individual release devices are often packaged in sealed small white, brown, or green bags. The bags containing the semiochemicals also act as a slow release device, controlling how much semiochemical is released over time.
Funnel Lure

image of semiochemical funnel lure bag, white

Individual release devices, bags, or pouches are placed in overpacks for shipping and storing. These overpacks can be frozen at -20°C in an air tight container such as glass or metal (not plastic).

Freezer storage reduces normal diffusion of the semiochemicals and prolongs the life of the devices. However, we do not recommend storing repellent and attractive semiochemicals in the same freezer due to the small risk of cross contamination.

When ready to deploy in the field, overpacks can be carefully opened using scissors to retrieve contents.

What is a Lure?

Lures are comprised of semiochemicals such as pheromones, allomones or kairomones that mimic nature’s chemical communication between animals, insects, and plants. Semiochemicals can be used to manipulate behavior both of pests and beneficial insects. Synergy’s lures are designed to attract beetles into a trap. Each lure is custom manufactured for a specific species of beetle or family of beetles.

Funnel Lures

Lures can be made with a single semiochemical component or multiple components. The semiochemical components are contained in a variety of different release devices and sold together.

UHR Lure

Most of Synergy lures will last in the field for around 60-90 days depending on ambient air temperature. If you are in an extreme environment, the release rate from each lure component may differ and we can advise you when to replace them.

If you cannot find your specific lure on our product listing, please contact us to see if we can make it for you.

Ambrosia Beetle Lures

Bark Beetle Lures

Buprestids Lures

Cerambycids Lures

Moths and Other Lures

Kairomone lures

How to hang trap lures

What is a Tree Bait?

image of semiochemical tree bait on tree

Tree baits are similar to lures and should only be used with an integrated pest management strategy.
They contain semiochemicals inside a small pouch to attract beetles directly to a tree. They are designed to initiate an early and aggressive attack.
They differ from funnel trap lures because they do not contain any kairomones from the host tree.
Tree bait pouches are stapled directly to the tree.
The attacked trees are subsequently removed from the area by harvesting before the next season.

For further information on tree baits, please see the Tree Bait section on the Bark Beetle Lure page.
You can read the tree bait technical PDF here.

What is a Repellent?

Semiochemical repellents are also comprised of pheromones, allomones or kairomones. Repelling beetles is like hanging a “no vacancy” sign on the tree. The semiochemical plume from the repellent tricks beetles into believing that the tree is not suitable for breeding. Beetles will keep flying trying to find a suitable tree. If there is sufficient repellent, the beetles fly until they die from lack of food or are killed by predators.

Synergy Shield MCH repellent

MCH bubble

Synergy Shield Verbenone repellent

image of Synergy Semiochemical's verbenone bubble and pouch

Verbenone Pouch and Bubble

When would I use a trap?

Trapping is generally not recommended to eliminate a population of beetles but can be used strategically for monitoring or targeting populations in specific geographic areas.

Image of Synergy Semiochemicals Multitrap Funnel Trap

Trapping with Multitraps is done when monitoring to see if a particular type of beetle is present in an area.
Lure trapping is also done to concentrate a beetle attack to a targeted zone of trees or slash piles which will then be harvested, removed or burned.

Synergy Semiochemical lures used in traps are often very powerful and will usually overpower any repellents deployed close by. The result is that many beetles will be attracted to targeted trees.

Traps will have a spillover effect. The beetles will be attracted to the trap but any tree within a 50 yard/meter radius can also get attacked because of the semiochemical plume that is released from the trap lure.

Trapping can work well on margins of a clear cut. It reduces beetles that normally end up in stumps or slash piles that could then reproduce and emerge the following season.

Strategic trapping can reduce a beetle population to help in subsequent years.

Synergy is happy to advise you on the best Multitrap configuration and lure selection for your particular pest problems.

Synergy Multitrap Platform

How to Hang Trap Lures

General Information about Trap Lures

The small white, brown, and green bags and pouches containing lures SHOULD NOT be opened prior to use. The semiochemical contents are usually liquid form within bubble caps, bottles or pouches. The quantity of liquid can often be in very small quantities.

The bags, bubble caps or pouches for funnel traps are hole punched at the top or on the corner to help attach the lures to traps using twist-ties or cable ties.

Rubber septa lures can be taken out of the overpack to hang directly on a trap. Standard practice is to impale the septa with a pin, such as a safety pin and then pin it directly onto a connector/leg of the trap.

Research by Byers, (J. Chem. Ecol. 13:2143-2157, 1987), working with Western Pine Beetle lure components has shown that trap catches are reduced the further the lure components are separated. Byers also states that with increased separation of the lure components the likelihood of confusion effects increases. Intuitively a compact semiochemical plume can be perceived at a greater distance than can a diffused plume. With multi-component lures it is assumed that all components must be perceived simultaneously for the maximum synergistic effect. For these reasons, we recommend multi-component lures have all components released from the same position within the trap.

Synergy Multitrap Panel Traps

Use twist ties to attach single or multiple lure components to the top of the trap near the canopy.

Synergy Multitrap Funnel Traps

In sunlight, air currents move up the bole of a tree. It is presumed that the same phenomenon will occur with funnel traps.

With our new larger bore funnels, you have the choice of hanging all lures either on the outside or inside of the trap approximately ¼ of the way up from the collection cup.

Hanging lures on the inside central channel of the trap can allow for maximum dispersion of the semiochemical plume inside the trap while also offering protection for the lure. However, large lures such as UHRs can obstruct insects falling through the central channel into the collection cup.

Lures hung on the outside of the trap promotes the maximum catch radius due to the semiochemical plume being dispersed further by air currents. In addition, lures hung on the outside are much easier to deploy and service.

Funnel Trap II

As mentioned above with the Synergy Multitrap, hang lures with twist ties on the outside or the inside of the Funnel Trap II, approximately ¼ of the way up from the collection cup.

Safe Deployment of Release Devices

The small white, brown, and green bags and pouches containing lures or tree baits SHOULD NOT be opened prior to use. If the small bag is accidentally opened or punctured, and any free liquid is present, please wear gloves to protect your skin and dispose of the damaged lure in the trash. Any liquid contents that come in contact with your skin should be washed in warm soapy water.

The bags for funnel traps are hole punched at the top to help attach the lures to traps using twist-ties or cable ties.

Bags containing tree baits are nailed or stapled directly to a tree.

Repellents like Synergy Shield MCH and Verbenone are sold in plastic bubbles and should not be punctured when deploying on trees. The long flashing on the bubble allows for a nail or staple to be placed safely away from the bubble’s contents. Handling bubbles with gloves is a good idea as some of the smell of the repellent may reside on the outside of the bubbles. Any leaky or punctured bubbles should be handled with gloves and disposed of in the trash.

Synergy Shield Verbenone are sold in plastic pouches. The pouches should be nailed or stapled in the area of the flashing when deploying on trees, taking care to not puncture the liquid pouch. Any leaky or punctured pouches should be handled with gloves and disposed of in the trash.

General Guidelines for Use and Disposal of Lures, Tree Baits, and Repellents

Handle the products using disposable gloves.

Do not store or place devices in or near food and drinks.

Do not store repellents (such as MCH/Verbenone) together with attractants (such as tree baits or funnel lures)

Work in well ventilated spaces.

Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing.

In case of getting any liquid product on bare skin, please use plenty of soap and water to wash and seek medical attention if the irritation is severe.

Do not place devices in irrigation, water supplies or aquatic habitats.

Keep away from pets or livestock.

Once the funnel lures, tree baits or repellents are spent, you can safely dispose of them in the regular trash. Bubbles or pouches should appear empty of liquid contents. Small white, brown, or green bags can be discarded intact into the trash.