Sex pheromone of the pine false webworm Acantholyda erythrocephala

Females of the pine false webworm Acantholyda erythrocephala (L) produce the sex pheromone (Z)-6, 14-pentadecadienal, which attracts flying males in the field. By using gas chromatography coupled with electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) and mass spectrometry (GC-MS), we detected (Z)-6,14-pentadecadienal in volatile collections and in whole body extracts of female A. erythrocephala. Females, but not males, also exhibited a 25-carbon cuticular hydrocarbon, (Z,Z)-1,9,15-pentacosatriene, which can oxidize to (Z)-6,14-pentadecadienal upon exposure to air and sunlight. (Z,Z)-1,9,15-Pentacosatriene and (Z)-6,14-pentadecadienal identifications were corroborated by comparison with synthetic standards. (Z)-6, 14-Pentadecadienal is the second pheromone identified for pamphilliid sawflies, and the first to elicit strong field attraction, and thus offer potential as a pheromone lure to aid in control of this forest pest.