Chapter 6 Semiochemicals and other insect communication signals for controlling insect pest

The use of chemotherapeutic drugs and broad-spectrum insecticides are used to tackle hematophagous insect vectors and the diseases they transmit are threatened by rising pesticide and drug resistance. Therefore, it is strongly suggested that new, alternative, complementary, and efficient methods to be developed for the surveillance and control of such insects. As alternatives or complements to pesticide treatments in various integrated pest management systems, semiochemicals and other insect communication signals are characterized as instructive molecules that are mostly utilized in insect-insect or plant-insect interactions. The signaling chemicals which are used for communicating among the same species are known as pheromones. Although allelochemicals are employed between members of different species, these signaling molecules are widely used to manage insect infestations on various important crops by influencing the reproduction and survival of insect pests and manipulating their behavior. Apart from controlling pest, semiochemicals are also useful for monitoring the pest population. Each semiochemical is a blending of different major and minor chemicals in certain proportion which gives them their higher target specificity causing no harm to the nontarget organisms. With these points the chapter explains how semiochemicals and other insect communication signals work to manage insect pests in general.