Live Female Moths Research Articles

Female Sex Pheromone of a Carpenter Moth, Cossus insularis (Lepidoptera: Cossidae)

This study describes the identification of a sex pheromone component of a cossid moth, Cossus insularis. Coupled gas chromatographic-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) analysis of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) collections of volatiles released by live female moths showed that two compounds elicited EAG responses from the antennae of male moths. These compounds were identified as (E)-3-tetradecenyl acetate (E3-14:Ac) and (Z)-3-tetradecenyl acetate (Z3-14:Ac) by mass spectral analysis and retention index comparisons with synthetic standards. The ratio of E3-14:Ac and Z3-14:Ac was 95:5 in the effluvia of a female. In field bioassays, sticky traps baited with blends of E3-14:Ac and Z3-14:Ac showed that E3-14:Ac is an essential component of the pheromone. However, the role of Z3-14:Ac is unclear, because E3-14:Ac as a single component was as attractive to male moths as blends of E3-14:Ac and Z3-14:Ac, including the 95:5 blend released by live female moths.

Identification, Synthesis, and Field Testing of the Sex Pheromone of the Citrus Leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella

The citrus leafminer is an important vector of citrus canker in many of the major citrus production areas of the world. (7Z,11Z)-Hexadecadienal was reported as a sex attractant for this insect in the 1980s, based on trap catches during pheromone screening trials in Japan. However, attempts to reproduce this work in other areas of the world have not been successful. We report here that (7Z,11Z)-hexadecadienal is only one component of the pheromone, with the other critical component being the analogous trienal, (7Z,11Z,13E)-hexadecatrienal. Both compounds were identified in the effluvia from live female moths by coupled gas chromatography (GC)-electroantennography using nonpolar and polar GC columns, and the identifications were confirmed by comparisons of mass spectra with those of authentic standards. Stereoisomers of the two compounds, and a number of analogs, were synthesized to confirm the identifications. In field trials, neither compound alone was attractive to male moths, but blends of the two were highly attractive, with thousands of insects being caught per trial. Addition of the isomeric (7Z,11Z,13Z)-hexadecatrienal inhibited attraction to the two-component blend.

Tussock moth eradication - a success story from New Zealand

Between 1996 and 1998 an eradication programme was undertaken in Auckland's eastern suburbs against the newly established lymantriid moth, Orgyia thyellina. The operation involved the aerial application of Btk over 4000 hectares of suburban Auckland and ground spraying of all known infested sites. Key components of the programme were: accurate definition of the infested area, quarantine action to prevent further spread, aerial and ground application of Btk, intensive monitoring using live female moths and a synthetic pheromone, strong science input to every facet of the programme, and a major communications initiative. Orgyia thyellina was declared eradicated in June 1998 and has not reappeared since then. Operation Ever Green, as the programme was named, was the first ever successful eradication of a forest pest established in an urban area, worldwide.

Reexamination of the Female Sex Pheromone of the Peach Twig Borer: Field Screening of Minor Constituents of Pheromone Gland Extracts and of Pheromone Analogs

Several minor constituents in extracts of female peach twig borer, Anarsia lineatella Zeller, pheromone glands have been identified as decyl acetate, ( E )- and (Z)-4- decenyl acetate, and ( E, E )3,5- and (Z, E)3,5-decadienyl acetate. Decyl acetate and (E)-4- decenyl acetate were also identified in effiuvia from live female moths. None of the identified compounds enhanced the attractiveness of the standard blend of (E)-5-decenol and (E)-5-decenyl acetate (19:81) in field tests. However, the analogous compounds ( E )-6- decenyl acetate and (E)-7-decenyl acetate were identified as behavioral antagonists, and strongly suppressed trap captures. When the contents of various commercial pheromone lures and mating disruption devices were analyzed, one batch of lures that performed very poorly in field tests was found to contain the inhibitory compound (E)-6-decenyl acetate.

Sex pheromone of femaleMyelois cribrella H�bner (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Females ofMyelois cribrella contain about 20 ng/gland of the primary sex pheromone components (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate, (9Z,12E)-9,12-tetradecadienyl acetate, and (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate in proportions of 4∶11∶5, respectively. These physiologically active components are accompanied by a number of related compounds such as (Z)-9-tetradecen-1-ol, hexadecyl acetate, (9Z,12E)-9,12-tetradecadien-1-ol, (Z)-11-hexadecen-1-ol, octadecyl acetate, octadecan-1-ol, and eicosyl and docosyl acetates. Octadecyl acetate, the most abundant component, represents about 42 ng/female moth; however, no physiological activity could be attributed to it. In field tests, a trap baited with a 1-mg mixture of (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate, (9Z,12E)-9,12-tetradecadienyl acetate, and (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate in a ratio of 1∶2∶1 caught more male moths than three live female moths.

Disruption of Forest Tent Caterpillar (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) Orientation to Baited Traps in Aspen Groves by Air Permeation with (5Z,7E)-5, 7-dodecadienal1

Orientation of Malacosoma disstria males to traps baited with live female moths or a three-component lure (5Z,7E-12:aldehyde + 5Z,7Z-12:aldehyde + Z7-12:aldehyde) was disrupted when 5Z,7E-12:aldehyde was released from a varying number of releasers (rubber septa or Hercon plastic laminates) uniformly spaced in plots (9 by 9 m) in the field. Release rates higher than 300 µg per plot per 24 h effected >85% disruption. At these release rates, variation of the number of release points from 10 to 100 per plot had no significant effect on the percent disruption. Behavioral observations indicated that, at lower release rates per releaser (3 or 6 µg per 24 h), disruption was partly due to confusion and partly due to a reduction in search effort by the moths; at higher release rates, disruption was mainly due to reduction in searching effort. A 7-year blacklight trapping record suggests the M. disstria population was generated locally. Potential control of the population with synthetic pheromone is discussed.

Low–Frequency Sodar 1 Device that Counts Flying Insects Attracted to Sex Pheromone Dispensers 23

A low-frequency, sodar (sound detecting and ranging) set was designed, constructed, and tested in cotton fields to detect flying tobacco budworm moths attracted at night to sex attractant dispensed from the sonic transmitter site. Counts made by the sodar set were compared with numbers of male budworms caught in traps baited with either synthetic pheromone or live female moths. Peak sonic transmission power was <25 W/2 ms at a 1.2% transmit-receive duty cycle. With sensitivity set at an effective range of 1 meter, the majority of moths counted by the battery-powered sodar set were tobacco budworms when their synthetic sex attractant was used as bait.