Factors Affecting Release Rate and Production of Sex Pheromone by Female Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) 1

Abstract

Sex pheromone released by nonmated female Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) was collected on filter paper and bioassayed to determine the relative amounts of sex pheromone released by females reared and held in a 12:12 h light:dark regime (L:D) and by females reared and held in a constant light regime (L:L). A regression, constructed from tests with synthetic sex pheromone, cis -9, trans -12-tetradecadien-1-ol acetate, was used to quantitate the amount of sex pheromone released by females. This data was then correlated with calling behavior, to measure the rate of sex pheromone release per calling female. During scotophase, calling L:D females release pheromone at a rate ca. 13 times that during photophase. In comparison, the sex pheromone release rate of L:L females during the scotophase was not significantly different from the release rate during photophase. These rates correlate with the calling behavior of L: L females‥ Abdominal tips of L:D females contained slightly more sex pheromone at collection times during photophase than at collection times during scotophase when calling is maximum. No correlation was found in the amount of sex pheromone contained in the abdominal tips of L:L females and time of day. Turnover rate of sex pheromone was estimated in calling L:D and L:L females during scotophase and photophase.