Evidence for a Male-Produced Sex Pheromone in the Western Flower Thrips Frankliniella occidentalis

Olfactometer bioassays of walking adult western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) showed that virgin females (1- to 3-d postemergence) were attracted to the odor of 25 adult males, but not to the odor of 25 adult females, providing behavioral evidence for a male-produced sex pheromone in this species. In contrast to earlier findings, mixed-age adult males were attracted to the odor of adult males. GC analysis of odors collected on SPME fibers revealed two major components and five minor components that were present in the male odor and not in the female odor. The compounds were not present in hexane extracts of males, indicating that these compounds are produced on demand and not stored.