Sex pheromone of the pea moth,Cydia nigricana (F.) (Lepidoptera: Olethreutidae)

The sex pheromone of the pea moth,Cydia nigricana (F.), was identified as (E,E)-8,10-dodecadien-1-ylacetate (E,E8,10–12Ac) (approximately 0.1 ng/abdominal tip), in vacuum distillates of virgin female abdominal tips and volatiles emitted by calling females, from its chemical properties and capillary gas chromatography and mass spectrometry data. SyntheticE,E8,10–12Ac and the natural pheromone elicited similar quantitative electrophysiological and behavioral responses from male moths. Other related compounds which also attract male moths in the field,viz., (E)-10-dodecen-1-yl acetate, (E,E)-8,10-dodecadien-1-ol, and (E,E)-8,10-dodecadienal, were not detected in the pheromone andE,E8,10–12Ac was not found in male moths.