Female sex pheromone of the pickleworm,Diaphania nitidalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Heptane extracts of the ovipositors from pickleworm adults (Diaphania nitidalis) were found to contain (E)-11-hexadecenal along with proportionally smaller amounts of (Z)-11-hexadecenal, (E)- and (Z)-11-hexadecen-1-ol, hexadecanol, hexadecanal, and a trace amount of (E,Z)-10,12-hexadecadienal. Assays conducted in a flight tunnel and in the field showed that a synthetic mixture of the five unsaturated compounds elicited behavioral responses from pickleworm males that were indistinguishable from those elicited by extracts of the female or by mate-calling females. When any component was deleted from the set of five unsaturated compounds, the intensity and extent of male responses to the resulting mixtures were significantly attenuated. The female sex pheromone of the pickleworm resembles the pheromone of a congeneric species,D. hyalinata, but bioassays indicated that (E,E)-10,12-hexadecadienal, produced byD. hyalinata but not by the pickleworm, plays a role in pheromonal specificity.

Controlled-release panel traps for the Mediterranean fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Solid, controlled-release dispensers containing 2 g of the synthetic attractant trimedlure now are used in Jackson traps to detect the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). Panel traps consisting of trimedlure mixed in a sticky substance and spread on the surfaces of a plastic panel are used to delineate the limits of discovered insect infestations in California. We describe the development of controlled-release, polymeric panels that prolong release of trimedlure and a highly attractive analog, ceralure. Attractants were incorporated in a polyethylene matrix to form panels and in a polymer coating on cardboard panels that then were evaluated by biological and chemical assay. In addition, commercial polymer matrix panels were evaluated. Field bioassay tests conducted in Hilo, HI, using released flies and in Guatemala in a natural population showed that the polyethylene matrix panel became brittle and cracked during field exposure and that release rates of the attractants were relatively low. The coated cardboard panels were stable under field conditions and yielded high fly captures for up to 6 wk. Farma Tech commercial panels containing 12.3 and 23.4 g of trimedlure remained highly attractive throughout a 134-d test in Hawaii and appear to be a long-lasting alternative to panels coated with trimedlure in Stikem. The cost of the relatively high dose of trimedlure is offset by the prolonged active life of the panel. Commercial panels from AgriSense (10 g trimedlure and 10 g ceralure) released the attractants at a slower rate and were less attractive.

Capture of gypsy moth,Lymantria dispar (L.), andLymantria mathura (L.) males in traps baited with disparlure enantiomers and olefin precursor in the People's Republic of China

Pheromone traps baited with (+)-disparlure,cis-7,8-epoxy-2methyocta-decane, captured males ofLymantria dispar, L. monacha, andL. mathura in northeastern People's Republic of China.L. dispar responded to the addition of olefin to (+)-disparlure-baited traps in a negative doseresponse manner. Observations on site and seasonal capture ofL. dispar andL. mathura are discussed.

Performance criteria and specifications for laminated plastic sex pheromone dispenser forHelicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Biological and chemical evaluations of a plastic laminate sex pheromone dispenser forHelicoverpa zea (Boddie) were made in central Texas. Based on these evaluations, the following performance criteria and specifications are suggested for a dispenser to be effective for two weeks: (1) 1.27 × 2.54-cm size; (2) 400-μm thick orange PVC outer layers; (3) 1.25 mg of a blend of (Z)-11-hexadecenal, (Z)-9-hexadecenal, (Z)-7-hexadecenal, and hexadecanal in a ratio of 87∶3∶2∶8 formulated in the adhesive reservoir layer; (4) release rate in the range of 0.12-0.33 gJhrJdispenser, as measured in the laboratory at 35°C; and (5) residual pheromone content in the range of 0.55-1.25 mgJdispenser during the period of use.

Methylcyclopentanoid Monoterpenes Mediate Interactions Among Insect Herbivores

Beetles secrete an array of chemicals generally believed to mitigate attack by predators. Methylcyclopentanoid monoterpenes secreted by larvae of the willow leaf beetle, Plagiodera versicolora, deter feeding by conspecific adults. Furthermore, the secretion elicits a strong repugnancy response in larvae of another willow herbivore, Nymphalis antiopa. Leaves bearing beetle larvae are less likely than leaves not bearing beetles to be frequented and consumed by Nymphalis larvae. Predator defense may not be the sole function of glandular secretions produced by herbivorous insects; secretions may also mediate interactions among herbivores that use a common resource.

An Unusual Lepidopteran Sex Pheromone System in the Bagworm Moth

The female sex pheromone of the bagworm moth is (R)-1-methylbutyl decanoate. The antipode is biologically inactive and it neither enhances nor detracts from the potency of the R enantiomer. Unlike other moths for which female pheromones have been identified, the female secretes the pheromone from glands on her thorax and it is disseminated from hair that is shed from her body.