Genetically Modified Moth Passes Greenhouse Testing With Flying Colors

Sure, he looks cute — just don't let him near your broccoli. Photo by J. Ogrodnick The diamondback moth catterpillar (Plutella xylostella) may not look like much, but don't be fooled by its generic caterpillar-y appearance; these larval lepidopterans are one of the world’s worst insect pests. Diamondback caterpillars gorge their way through cabbages, canola, broccoli, cauliflower, and kale, costing farmers $4-5 billion annually worldwide. The worst part is that these hungry beasts always seem to be a step ahead of pest management strategies, readily evolving resistance to every organic and synthetic chemical that farmers attempt to wipe them out with. But now, scientists have created a secret weapon that the bugs cannot resist: genetically modified males whose genes kill their female offspring.