Aggregation Pheromones of Two Geographical Isolates of the New Guinea Sugarcane Weevil, Rhabdoscelus obscurus

The aggregation pheromones were studied from two geographical isolates (Hakalau, Hawaii, and Silkwood, Queensland, Australia) of the New Guinea sugarcane weevil, Rhabdoscelus obscurus. Coupled gas chromatographic–electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) and GC–mass spectrometric (MS) analyses of Porapak Q volatile extract from male and from female Hawaiian R. obscurus revealed a single EAD-active, male-specific candidate pheromone, which was identified as 2-methyl-4-octanol (1). Corresponding volatile analyses from male and from female Australian R. obscurus consistently revealed three EAD-active, male-specific candidate pheromone components that were identified as 1, (E2)-6-methyl-2-hepten-4-ol (rhynchophorol) (2), and 2-methyl-4-heptanol (3). In field experiment 1 in Hakalau, Hawaii, traps baited with a stereoisomeric mixture of synthetic 1 (3 mg/day) plus sugarcane captured more weevils than did traps baited with 1 or sugarcane alone or no bait, indicating that 1 is the pheromone of the Hawaiian R. obscurus population. In field experiment 2, conducted in Silkwood, Australia, traps baited with stereoisomeric mixtures of synthetic 1, 2, and 3 (3 mg/day each) plus sugarcane caught more weevils than did unbaited traps or traps baited with 1, 2, and 3 or sugarcane. Testing candidate pheromone components 1, 2, and 3 in experiments 2–5 in all possible binary, ternary, and quaternary combinations with sugarcane, indicated that 1 and 2 in combination, but not singly, are pheromone components of the Australian R. obscurus population. Weevils from several locations in Australia and Hawaii could not be differentiated using traditional morphological characters or ultrastructural comparisons with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). However, comparisons of mtDNA sequences (cytochrome oxidase I; regions I1 to M4; 201 base pairs) revealed 5.5% variation between the Hawaiian (N = 2) and the Australian (N = 4) samples. There was no intrapopulation variation in sequence data from the weevils from Hawaii versus Australia, suggesting that they are sibling species.     

Trapping of Phyllophaga elenans with a female-produced pheromone

Attraction of Phyllophaga elenas to vaned bucket traps baited with the recently identified female-produced pheromone, L-isoleucine methyl ester (LIME), is efficient. Pheromone-baited vaned buckets with water to retain insects were more effective than buckets without vanes or plastic containers with the sides cut out. Pheromone-baited vaned bucket traps from which water was omitted required the addition of a funnel below the vanes to retain insects. Normally used light traps were about 10 times more effective than pheromone-baited vane bucket traps in capturing P. elenans. Over 95% of P. elenans were captured between 6:00 and 9:00 PM. The male–female ratio was 3–4:1 in both light and pheromone traps, and the ratio was relatively unchanged throughout the capture period. Most P. elenans were captured in the treed areas surrounding sugarcane fields. More P. elenans were captured in treed borders than in grassy borders of sugarcane fields. The effective radius of the pheromone-baited vaned bucket trap is between 5 and 15 m.     

Evaluation of Pheromones and a New Trap for Monitoring <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agriotes lineatus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agriotes obscurus</Emphasis> in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia

A prototype ground-based pheromone trap design, baited with various pheromone lures, was field tested for effectiveness in trapping male Agriotes obscurus and Agriotes lineatus click beetles in British Columbia. Pheromone dispensers containing geranyl octanoate and geranyl hexanoate in a 1:1 ratio caught the greatest numbers of A. obscurus, whereas those containing geranyl octanoate and geranyl butanoate in a 9 or 10:1 ratio caught high numbers of A. lineatus. Some differences in A. obscurus attraction to traps were observed between dispensers according to the manufacturer and the number of dispensers deployed in traps. The trap design and optimal pheromone dispensers tested would be suitable for monitoring or surveying A. obscurus and A. lineatus populations in North America.     

Management of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cosmopolites sordidus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Metamasius hemipterus</Emphasis> in Banana by Pheromone-Based Mass Trapping

Mass trapping Cosmopolites sordidus (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) using a pheromone-baited pitfall trap and Metamasius hemipterus (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) using a pheromone-sugarcane-baited open gallon trap was conducted in commercial banana. Four traps for each insect per hectare were placed in each of two 5-hectare plots of banana. Two additional 5-hectare plots were designated as controls and treated according to the plantation protocol. Capture rates of C. sordidus and M. hemipterus declined by >75 % over 10–12 months. In the banana growing region studied, corm damage was due primarily to C. sordidus, while only a minor amount of damage was attributable to M. hemipterus. Corm damage reduction in trapping plots was, thus, attributed primarily to C. sordidus trapping. In trapping plots, corm damage decreased by 61–64 % during the experiment. Banana bunch weights increased 23 % relative to control plots after 11–12 months of trapping. Fruit diameter did not vary between bunches harvested from trapping plots vs. control plots. Plant vigor, however, as determined by stem circumference at one meter above ground increased in plots with traps compared to control plots. Trapping for C. sordidus in two plantations of over 200 hectares each, reduced corm damage 62–86 % relative to pre-trapping levels. Insecticide control measures in place when the experiment commenced resulted in about 20–30 % corm damage, while use of pheromone trapping to manage C. sordidus lowered corm damage to 10 % or less. It is estimated that the increase in value of increased yield obtained in this trial (23 %) is about 4,240 USD per year per hectare, while the cost of pheromone trapping is approximately4,240 USD per year per hectare, while the cost of pheromone trapping is approximately 185 USD per year per hectare. The trapping program becomes revenue neutral if bunch weights increase by an average of 1 % per year of trapping. Approximately 10 % of all plantation area in Costa Rica use the pheromone trapping system described here. The system also is used in Martinique, Guadeloupe, and the Canary Islands.     

The Active Space of Mexican Rice Borer Pheromone Traps

The Mexican rice borer, Eoreuma loftini (Dyar) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), is an invasive pest of sugarcane, Saccharum spp., rice, Oryza sativa L., and other graminaceous crops in the United States. Traps baited with the synthetic female sex pheromone of E. loftini are used for monitoring and management of this invasive pest. However, the active space, or radius of attraction, of these traps is not known. Two field experiments examined the effect of intertrap distance on trap captures with hexagonal arrays of traps deployed in rice stubble habitat in Texas (2011) and Louisiana (2013). Trap capture increased with increasing intertrap distance. Trap interference occurred at intertrap distances ≤50 m in the 2011 experiment. Results from the experiment conducted in 2013 indicate that trap interference occurs at intertrap distances of 50 m, but not at distances ≥100 m. These results suggest that under field conditions, E. loftini pheromone traps attract males from distances of 50–100 m. The active space of pheromone traps also was examined under controlled wind conditions by direct observation of male response to detection of the female sex pheromone. Eoreuma loftini males responded to the pheromone blend by becoming active, fanning their wings, and rapidly walking in circles. The mean distance from the pheromone source at which males responded was 47.6 m. This work provides the first documentation of active space for traps baited with female sex pheromone for a crambid species, and these data will improve pheromone trap deployment strategies for E. loftini monitoring and management.     

Aggregation Pheromone of Palm Weevil, Dynamis borassi

4-Methyl-5-nonanol (1) is the male-produced aggregation pheromone of the palm weevil, Dynamis borassi (F.) from Colombia. The pheromone was identified by coupled gas chromatographic–electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) analysis of male- and female-produced volatiles, and comparative GC–mass spectrometry (MS) of weevil-produced 1. In field experiments in Colombia, traps baited with a stereoisomeric mixture of synthetic 1 (3 mg/day) plus sugarcane captured more weevils than traps baited with 1 or sugarcane alone, suggesting that pheromone and plant volatiles are synergistically attractive. Use of a chiral, stereoisomer-separating Cyclodex-B column in GC-EAD and GC-MS analyses revealed that D. borassi males produce, and antennae of males and females respond to (4S,5S)-1. Previously identified palm weevil (Rhynchophorus spp.) aggregation pheromones 5-methyl-4-octanol (cruentol) and 6-methyl-2-hepten-4-ol (rhynchophorol) also elicited antennal responses by D. borassi. In field experiments, D. borassi females were captured equally well in traps baited with sugarcane plus either 1, cruentol or rhynchophorol. In contrast, D. borassi males were captured most often in traps baited with sugarcane plus 1. Because D. borassi is a potential vector of the red ring nematode that causes the lethal red ring disease of palms, pheromone-based trapping of D. borassi could aid in monitoring or management of red ring disease in commercial palm plantations.     

Sex Pheromone Dispenser Type and Trap Design Affect Capture of Dogwood Borer

Using a ternary sex pheromone blend [86:6:6 v:v:v (Z,Z)-3,13-octadecadienyl acetate: (E,Z)-2,13-octadecadienyl acetate: (Z,E)-3,13-octadecadienyl acetate], we tested the effect of dispenser type and trap design for capture of dogwood borer (DWB), Synanthedon scitula Harris (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae) in apple orchards in West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. Wing-style sticky traps baited with polyethylene vial pheromone dispensers captured more male DWB over the first 2 months than traps baited with rubber septum pheromone dispensers. However, catches in vial-baited traps decreased considerably after the first 2 months, possibly due to the antagonistic effect of 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxy acetophenone that diffused from the polyethylene vials. By contrast, traps baited with rubber septum dispensers captured DWB males for at least 6 months; over the last four months of the flight season, catches in traps baited with a rubber septum were greater than those in traps baited with a vial dispenser. Therefore, the rubber septum dispenser is recommended for season-long monitoring of DWB. A release-rate study, using laboratory and field-aged dispensers, demonstrated that desorption of DWB sex pheromone from polyethylene vial or rubber septum dispensers followed first order kinetics, with half-lives of 1.6 and 10.7 months, respectively. Several trap designs, including wing-and delta-style sticky traps, and white and green “bucket-style” traps, baited with rubber septum dispensers were compared in commercial apple orchards for catch of DWB. Bucket traps caught more moths when moth populations were high, because the sticky surfaces of the 1C and delta traps likely became saturated. However, among the commercially available traps tested, no particular design gave consistently higher catches. Further work is needed to explore capture mechanisms and maintenance needs of different trap types.     

Bioactivity, Synthesis, and Chirality of the Sex Pheromone of Currant Stem Girdler, Janus integer

It was previously reported that females of the currant stem girdler, Janus integer Norton (Hymenoptera: Cephidae), produce a compound, (Z)-9-octadecen-4-olide (1), that is sensitively detected by the antennae of males only. These characteristics suggested a pheromonal function, and this has now been confirmed with behavioral tests. Field tests conducted during two seasons in a commercial red currant field in Washington State showed that synthetic racemic 1 is attractive to male J. integer under natural conditions. A clear dose-response was evident, with greatest numbers of girdlers caught in sticky traps baited with 10 mg of the pheromone (in rubber septa) and least in traps baited with 1 mg or less. During May 2002, 10, 5, 3, and 1 mg baited traps caught means of 41.4, 26.6, 6.7, and 2.7 males/trap/visit (3–5 day intervals), respectively, with a maximum of 229 males caught in a single trap baited with 5 mg. A new synthetic method for racemic 1 is presented. The absolute configuration of natural 1 from the male sawflies was determined to be (R). The potential for using the sex pheromone of J. integer to improve management of this currant and gooseberry pest is discussed.     

Laboratory and field evidence for maleproduced aggregation pheromone inRhynchophorus cruentatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Laboratory and field assays were conducted to determine if palmetto weevil,Rhynchophorus cruentatus (F.), adults produce an aggregation pheromone. Attraction of females in a Y-tube olfactometer to conspecific males was greater than to clean air. Male and female attraction to conspecific male volatiles combined with host-palm,Sabal palmetto (Walter), volatiles was greater than to host-palm volatiles alone. Similarly, more weevils were caught in the field in traps baited with conspecific males plus host-palm tissue than in similar traps baited with only males, or palm tissue, or females, or females plus palm tissue. These results suggest thatR. cruentatus males produce an aggregation pheromone(s) that is highly attractive to conspecific adults of both sexes when combined with host-palm volatiles. This study is an important step towards understanding the chemical ecology ofR. cruentatus.     

Mating Disruption of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paralobesia viteana</Emphasis> in Vineyards Using Pheromone Deployed in SPLAT-GBM™ Wax Droplets

A paraffin wax formulation releasing pheromone for mating disruption of insects was tested during 2005 and 2006 in Vitis labrusca vineyards infested by grape berry moth, Paralobesia viteana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). In early May of each year, 1-ml droplets of SPLAT-GBM wax containing 3% sex pheromone of P. viteana were applied to every wooden post at a rate of 400/ha in replicated 1.3-ha plots. Moth captures in sex pheromone baited traps placed at the vineyard borders and interiors revealed significant disruption of male moth captures in treated plots, with activity of one application lasting over 10 weeks during both years. Treatment with SPLAT-GBM did not affect the proportion of clusters infested until the end of the second growing season, when infestation was 27% lower in the treated plots than in the control plots. Comparisons of moth captures in traps placed inside 15.2 x 16.5 m vine plots that were untreated or received varying densities of 0.2-ml wax drops or Isomate-GBM hand-tied dispensers at the recommended rate of 450/ha indicated that orientational disruption increased with droplet density. Similar numbers of moths were captured in plots that received 10 or 30 drops per vine as were trapped in plots with twist ties spaced at 0.4 per vine. Moth captures in monitoring traps baited with increasing sizes of wax droplets (0.2, 0.5, or 1-ml drops) or red septa containing P. viteana sex pheromone suggest decreasing ability of male moths to reach traps with increasing pheromone loading. This study indicates that wax-deployed pheromone can reduce crop infestation by P. viteana after 2 years of deployment, and that the increasing of pheromone release by using application of greater droplet densities or by using larger droplets will improve the level of disruption achieved.     

The Effect of Atmospheric Pheromone Concentrations on Behavior of Lightbrown Apple Moth in an Apple Orchard

A previously validated Lagrangian model was used to estimate the threshold of atmospheric pheromone concentration required to prevent trap catch and wing fanning in mating disruption plots in an apple orchard. Electroantennogram (EAG) traces of 10 min duration were recorded, along with supporting meteorological data needed for the model, to better define the conditions in which successful mating disruption will occur. Pheromone was released from polyethylene tubing dispensers into orchard blocks treated with 10, 100, 1000, and 2000 dispensers/ha. Predicted dusk concentrations of atmospheric pheromone at a height of 1.85 m varied nightly between 4 and 90 ng pheromone/m³ (in plots treated with 1000 dispensers/ha) over 11 weeks. Disruption of traps baited with 1000-g pheromone lures followed an asymptotic curve with predicted concentration, but they did not show a significant effect of trap height (1.5 and 3.0 m). Wing fanning was reduced by increasing the density of dispensers, but was not completely eliminated even at 1000 dispensers/ha. At this density, the concentrations were usually <16 ng pheromone/m³. Electroantennogram recordings of 10 min duration showed a higher frequency of pheromone pulses in plots treated with more point sources per hectare. There was also a positive correlation between the number of pulses recorded by the EAG and predicted concentration for plots treated with 1000 or 2000 dispensers/ha. These results give added support to our model of pheromone release and transport in treated apple orchards.     

Optimization of semiochemical-based trapping ofMetamasius hemipterus sericeus (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Response of adults of the West Indian sugarcane weevil,Metamasius hemipterus sericeus, to various semiochemical treatments and physical trap designs was studied in southern Florida in field-grown banana and Canary Island date palms. Ethyl acetate released alone at 860–1007 mg/day was as effective for the capture ofM. h. sericeus as a combination of ethyl acetate (844–919 mg/day), ethyl propionate (348–362 mg/day), and ethyl butyrate (117–137 mg/day) and in one trial was more effective than fermenting sugarcane (250 g), ethyl propionate alone (353–384 mg/day), ethyl butyrate alone (123–174 mg/day), or no treatment. Ethyl acetate released alone at 675–683 mg/day was as attractive as 250 g of fermenting sugarcane or the racemic blend of the male-produced aggregation pheromones [(±)-5-methyl-nonan-4-ol and (±)-2-methyl-heptan-4-ol (8:1 ratio) “metalure”] at 3 mg/day. Weevil counts increased with binary combinations of ethyl acetate, sugarcane, and/or metalure over these treatments alone and the ternary combination was two to three times more effective than any of the binary treatments. Attraction to ethyl acetate released alone at 777 mg/day with metalure was greater than to the hydrolysis products of ethyl acetate (ethanol and/or acetic acid each released at about 6–8 mg/day) with metalure. Weevil counts from traps baited with 250 g of sugarcane and metalure increased with increasing dose of ethyl acetate to about 400 mg/day and then appeared to plateau. Ethyl acetate (about 700 mg/day) and metalure increased weevil counts in traps with increasing amounts of sugarcane (0–2 kg). Molasses (45 g) + water (158 ml) substitutes for sugarcane were about as effective for capturingM. h. sericeus as 250 g of fermenting sugarcane [all treatments with ethyl acetate (847 mg/day) and metalure]. Early experiments used a lethal pitfall trap. We demonstrated that several alternative trap designs were more effective than the lethal pitfall trap for capturing weevils. Color and height (on ground vs. 1 m on pole) did not affect trap efficacy when baited with the ternary combination of ethyl acetate (672–825 mg/day), sugarcane (250 g), and metalure.     

Multispecies trapping ofHelicoverpa (Heliothis) zea,Spodoptera frugiperda,Pseudaletia unipuncta,andAgrotis ipsilon (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Multispecies sex pheromone trapping (trapping of more than one species in the same trap) for the bollworm,Helicoverpa (Heliothis) zea (Boddie); fall armyworm,Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith); armyworm,Pseudaletia unipuncta (Haworth); and the black cutworm,Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) was evaluated. Baiting of individual traps with all possible combinations of the four species taken two at a time caused a reduction in the catches of at least one of any two species involved when compared to traps baited for only one species. These results demonstrated the species specificity of sex pheromones identified for these species. Although the effects were reduced in some cases, the interaction between species also was observed when adjacent traps were baited with the sex pheromone dispensers of the different species. These results indicate that the spacing between pheromone traps when more than one species are being trapped at the same site affects trap capture and should be evaluated further.This paper reports the results of research only. Mention of a commercial or proprietary product does not constitute an endorsement by the USDA.     

Activity of Male Pheromone of Melanesian Rhinoceros Beetle Scapanes australis

Laboratory and field investigations were carried out to investigate the nature and role of the male pheromone emitted by the Dynast beetle Scapanes australis and to develop a mass trapping technique against this major coconut pest in Papua New Guinea. We report the biological data obtained from natural and synthetic pheromone, previously described as an 84:12:4 (w/w) mixture of 2-butanol (1), 3-hydoxy-2-butanone (2), and 2,3-butanediol (3). EAG recordings from natural and synthetic pheromone and a pitfall olfactometer were poorly informative. In contrast, extensive field trapping trials with various synthetic pheromone mixtures and doses showed that 1 and 2 (formulated in polyethylene sachets in 90:5 v:v ratio) were necessary and sufficient for optimum long-range attraction. Beetles were captured in traps baited with racemic 1 plus 2, with or without a stereoisomer mixture of 3 (2.5- to 2500-mg/day doses). Plant pieces, either sugarcane or coconut, enhanced captures by the synthetic pheromone, which was active alone. Traps with the pheromone caught both sexes in a 3:2 female–male ratio. A pheromone-based mass trapping led to the capture of 2173 beetles in 14 traps surrounding 40 ha of a cocoa-coconut plantation. The captures followed a log-linear decrease during the 125-week trapping program. The role of the male pheromone and its potential for crop protection are discussed.     

Capture of Female <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hylotrupes bajulus</Emphasis> as Influenced by Trap Type and Pheromone Blend

Three different types of traps were evaluated for a semiochemical-based trapping method for Hylotrupes bajulus (L.) (Cerambycidae). One, designated the ground trap, was the most efficient under both laboratory and natural conditions and had an active space of about 3.5 m. Significantly more beetles were captured in traps baited with a mixture of synthetic pheromones, (3R)-3-hydroxy-2-hexanone [(3R)-ketol] + 1-butanol, than in those with either single compound or with racemic mixtures. Furthermore, the synthetic lure captured more females than two virgin males in a laboratory bioassay. In addition, doubling the concentration of the synthetic pheromone significantly increased trap catches. The present findings have potential value of the management of this pest.     

Effect of Male House Mouse Pheromone Components on Behavioral Responses of Mice in Laboratory and Field Experiments

Urine of male house mice, Mus musculus, is known to have primer pheromone effects on the reproductive physiology of female mice. Urine-mediated releaser pheromone effects that trigger certain behavioral responses are much less understood, and no field studies have investigated whether urine deposits by male or female mice, or synthetic mouse pheromone, increase trap captures of mice. In field experiments, we baited traps with bedding soiled with urine and feces of caged female or male mice, and recorded captures of mice in these and in control traps containing clean bedding. Traps baited with female bedding preferentially captured adult males, whereas traps baited with male bedding preferentially captured juvenile and adult females, indicating the presence of male- and female-specific sex pheromones in soiled bedding. Analyses of headspace volatiles emanating from soiled bedding by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry revealed that 3,4-dehydro-exo-brevicomin (DEB) was seven times more prevalent in male bedding and that 2-sec-butyl-4,5-dihydrothiazole (DHT) was male-specific. In a follow-up field experiment, traps baited with DEB and DHT captured 4 times more female mice than corresponding control traps, thus indicating that DEB and DHT are sex attractant pheromone components of house mouse males. Our study provides impetus to identify the sex attractant pheromone of female mice, and to develop synthetic mouse pheromone as a lure to enhance the efficacy of trapping programs for mouse control.     

Development of an Efficient Pheromone-Based Trapping Method for the Banana Root Borer <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cosmopolites sordidus</Emphasis>

The banana root borer Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a major pest of bananas throughout the world. Chemical control is both undesirable and expensive, where biological control alternatives are limited, and pheromone-based trapping results in low captures. In this study, several important factors that affect pheromone-based catches, such as trap type, trap dimensions, and color and position of the traps, were optimized. Ground traps were found to be superior to ramp and pitfall traps, and larger traps (40 × 25 cm and above) were more efficient than smaller ones (30 × 15 cm). In a color-choice test, the banana weevil clearly preferred brown traps over yellow, red, gray, blue, black, white, and green, with mahogany being more attractive than other shades of brown. In addition, pheromone baited ground traps positioned in the shade of the canopy caught significantly more adults than those placed in sunlight. Therefore, mahogany-brown ground traps 40 × 25 cm appear to be the most efficient at catching C. sordidus adults and have the greatest potential for use in mass trapping and programs for eradication of this pest.     

Components of male aggregation pheromone of strawberry blossom weevil, Anthonomus rubi herbst. (Coleoptera:Curculionidae)

The strawberry blossom weevil, Anthonomus rubi, is a major pest of strawberries in the United Kingdom and continental Europe. As part of a project to develop noninsecticidal control methods, the pheromone system of this species was investigated. Comparison of volatiles produced by field-collected, overwintering individuals of each sex led to identification of three male-specific compounds—(Z)-2-(3,3-dimethylcyclohexylidene)ethanol, (cis)-1-methyl-2-(1-methylethenyl)cyclobutaneethanol, and 2-(1-methylethenyl)5-methyl-4-hexen-1-ol (lavandulol)—in amounts of 6.1, 1.2, and 0.82 g/day/male. The first two compounds are components of the aggregation pheromone of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, grandlure II and grandlure I, respectively. Grandlure I was the (1R,2S)-(+) enantiomer and lavandulol was a single enantiomer, although the absolute configuration was not determined. Trace amounts of the other two grandlure components (Z)-(3,3-dimethylcyclohexylidene)acetaldehyde (grandlure III) and (E)-(3,3-dimethylcyclohexylidene)acetaldehyde (grandlure IV) were also detected. (E,E)-1-(1-Methylethyl)-4-methylene8-methyl-2,7-cyclo-decadiene (germacrene-D), a known volatile from strawberry plants, Fragaria ananassa, was collected in increased amounts in the presence of pheromone-producing weevils. Male weevils only produced pheromone on F. ananassaand not on scented mayweed, Matracaria recutita, or cowparsley, Anthriscus sylvestris, although these are known food sources. In field trials using various combinations of synthetic grandlures I, II, III, and IV and lavandulol, significantly more weevils were caught in traps baited with blends containing grandlure I and II and lavandulol than in those baited with blends without lavandulol or unbaited controls. Addition of grandlure III and IV had no significant effect on attractiveness. Horizontal sticky traps were found to be more effective than vertical sticky traps or standard boll weevil traps. In mid-season females predominated in the catches, but later more males than females were trapped.     

Identification of an attractant for the caneborerSesamia grisescens walker (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The composition of the sex pheromone ofSesamia grisescens was investigated using gas chromatography, electroantennograms, and field trapping. (Z)-11-Hexadecenyl acetate and (Z)-11-hexadecenol were identified in field tests as the major attractants. Trapping trials identified a 3:2 blend of these compounds as the most effective bait. Gas chromatography indicated the presence of hexadecyl acetate. (Z)-9-hexadecenyl acetate, (Z)-9-hexadecenol, and (E)-11-hexadecenyl acetate in the pheromone gland, but these compounds had no significant effect on trap catches when added to the major components. Traps baited with the major components in a 1:1 ratio caught more male moths than traps baited with virgin females.     

Disruption of Secondary Attraction of the Spruce Beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis, by Pheromones of Two Sympatric Species

Capture of spruce beetles, Dendroctonus rufipennis, in multiple-funnel traps baited with frontalin and -pinene was reduced by up to 42% in the presence of synthetic (+)-exo- and (+)-endo-brevicomin, aggregation pheromones of the sympatric species Dryocoeles affaber. (±)-endo-Brevicomin was inhibitory to spruce beetles in two experiments and (±)-exo-brevicomin was inhibitory in one experiment, reducing spruce beetle trap catches by up to 87% and 75%, respectively. Spruce beetle trap catches were also reduced by 85% by (±)- or (+)-ipsdienol, but not by (–)-ipsdienol. Ips tridens, a second sympatric species, produces both enantiomers of ipsdienol in its pheromone blend. Responses by D. affaber to its own pheromone were significantly enhanced by addition of the spruce beetle lure. Enantiospecific pheromones of secondary competing species, or less costly racemic substitutes, may be useful for managing spruce beetles using competitive displacement or exclusion. Baiting susceptible hosts with pheromones of secondary species may enhance attack by secondary species, while partially repelling spruce beetles.