Moth Sex Attractants Found by Systematic Field Testing of 3-Component Acetate-Aldehyde Candidate Lures

Abstract

Selected primary (Z)-alkenals and (Z)-alkenyl acetates (odd-numbered unsaturation positions, even-numbered carbon chains C10–C16) were field tested in three groups for ability to attract male moths into traps. Within each group all possible combinations (1:1:1) of components were examined. From 441 combinations, consistent attractants for 47 species were found. In one case three components were required for attractancy, while in others two or one were minimally sufficient. Possible trapping inhibitors were revealed for most of the species taken. Of the captured species 44 were noctuids, two were tortricids, and one was a gelechiid.

Spotted cutworm, Xestia c-nigrum (L.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) responses to sex pheromone and blacklight

“…Comeau (1970, 1971), working in New York, captured males of the small form of spotted cutworm (X. adela = c-nigrum) with the E isomer and the larger form of the moth (X. dolosa) with the Z isomer of (7)-14Ac. These reports contradict other studies that trapped X. c-nigrum with (Z7)-14Ac (Ando 1977;Bestmann et al 1979;Steck et al 1979Steck et al , 1982. Our results showed antennal responses to the Z and the E isomers of both (7)-14Ac and (5)-14Ac.…”

“…The contradiction in prior reports of the role of (Z5)-14Ac in sex attraction indicated a need to verify responses of local spotted cutworm moths to these compounds. In this study, the first trapping experiment assessed male spotted cutworm moth attraction to two positional isomers of tetradecenyl acetate, (Z5)-14Ac and (Z7)-14Ac, that have been implicated in sex attraction of that species (Steck et al 1979(Steck et al , 1982. Results of the first test of this experiment (May/June 2002) did not show a significant rate of capture of males in traps baited with (Z7)-14Ac.…”

An improved multi‐component sex attractant for trapping male western yellowstriped armyworm, Spodoptera praefica (Grote) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

“…(Z)‐7‐Dodecenyl acetate was the compound present in greatest amounts in the extracts of female abdominal tips. This compound is also the major component of the sex pheromone of T. ni (Berger (1966), as well as other species in the noctuid subfamily Plusiinae (Tumlinson et al ., 1972; Steck et al ., 1979b).…”

Multi-component Sex Attractants in Systematic Field Tests of Male Lepidoptera

“…Recently three-component sex pheromones 9 ,12) and sex attractants 6 ) have been The field tests were done in three· different· environments, (I) a forest in· Tokyo (Hachioji-shi), (II) a chestnut orchard in Ibaraki-prefecture (Chiyoda-mura), (III) a forest in Iwate-prefecture (Morioka-shi). III (11) III (8) 111· (94) reported.…”

“…Sept.-Nov. III (65) June-July 11 (6) Aug.-Sept. III (10) May-June This species was more strongly attracted to the alkenal, Z9-14: AId, than the acetate, Z7-12: OAc, tested earlier. 1 ) …”