Identification of sex pheromones of two sibling species in dingy cutworm complex,Feltia jaculifera (GN.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). 1990

J R Byers, and D L Struble
Agriculture Canada Research Station, T1J 4B1, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.

The sex pheromone components of the two sibling species of the dingy cutworm that occur on the prairies of western Canada were identified in abdomen-tip extracts from calling female moths. Three monounsaturated acetates, (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate, (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate, and (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate, are common to both species in ratios of 100∶13∶3 for species A and 0.3∶0.5∶100 for species B. The most effective synthetic blends for the attraction of male moths in the field consisted of these three components in ratios of 10∶1∶0 at 8.8Μg/lure for species A and 1∶1∶2000 at 500Μg/lure for species B. The addition of Z5-12∶Ac to either blend reduced the catches and the addition of Z7-12∶OH orZ11-16∶OH to the three-component blend reduced the catches of species B males. The species are morphologically indistinguishable, but the identity of the males attracted to the synthetic blends could be confirmed by their antennal responses to a test blend of the three components using a GC-EAD system. Both synthetic attractant blends are competitive with females and will be useful for studying the distribution, biology, and relative abundances of the two species.

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