Field evaluation of the synthetic female sex pheromone of the citrus flower moth,Prays Citri (mill.) (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae), and related compounds

Abstract

The synthetic female sex pheromone ofPrays citri, (Z)-7-tetradecenal, proved to be highly attractive to male moths in the field when released from a variety of dispensers in five different designs of sticky trap. When the pheromone was released from impregnated polyethylene vials, a wide range of initial loadings from 10 μg to 20 mg was attractive, and loadings of 40 μg and above were more attractive than a virgin female moth. Initial loadings of 0.5 mg and 1.0 mg remained attractive for at least five months in the field. Release rates of pheromone from the polyethylene vials under constant laboratory conditions were measured for two different initial loadings. Other isomers of the pheromone and a pheromone ‘mimic’, (Z)-5-dodecenyl formate, were unattractive to male moths and did not affect the attractiveness of the synthetic pheromone or of a virgin female moth.