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Identification of a sex pheromone produced by female velvetbean caterpillar moth
R R Heath1, J H Tumlinson, N C Leppla
1Insect Attractants, Behavior, and Basic Biology Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, 32604, Gainesville, Florida.
Abstract:
A sex pheromone produced by female velvetbean caterpillar moths,Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner, that attracts conspecific males was isolated and identified as a blend of (Z,Z,Z)-3,6,9-eicosatriene and (Z,Z,Z)-3,6,9-heneicosatriene in a ratio of ca. 5∶3, respectively, when combined. The synthesized compounds elicited responses by velvetbean caterpillar moth males equivalent to those elicited by females in both laboratory wind tunnel bioassays and field trapping experiments.
