THE pest control company from Hampshire that uses insects’ sex drive as a weapon against them has won £2.25m investment to create new products and expand overseas.

Colden Common based Exosect won the backing from expert technology investment firms keen to cash in on the potential of its innovative gender-bending techniques.

Founded on research conducted at Southampton University, Exosect’s environmentally friendly pest control method uses traps that cover male insects in female pheromones, confusing the creatures’ mating habits and disrupting the reproductive cycle.

The company, which employs 25 people, hit the headlines when it was used by the Covent Garden Opera House to ward off moths devouring its lavish costumes. Previously it took 13 seamstresses to control the damage done by the voracious creatures to expensive costumes until the technological breakthrough turned their mating behaviour against them.

Exosect has also been employed by orchards to organically defeat apple-munching codling moths.

Its latest product tackles the voracious Indian Meal Moth and four other winged pests that cause problems in stored food. They claim it is as effective as traditional techniques but removes the need for costly factory shutdowns and leaves no residue on food.

Martin Brown, managing director at Exosect, said: “This new investment presents a tremendous opportunity for Exosect to bring to market new products. Using our unique technology platform we have developed a raft of award winning products to meet the increasing demand for intelligent and informed pest management solutions. The funding will significantly support our plans to pre-empt and fulfil this demand in both the UK and overseas markets.”

The investment was led by £1m from MTI Partners and Hygea VCT, both professional technology investment firms. Exosect bosses were also pleased that, despite the recession, all of the existing backers took the opportunity to reinvest, underlining the strength of the company’s prospects.