Abstract
Bioassays conducted with a Y-tube olfactometer provided evidence that both sexes of the cerambycid beetle Megacyllene caryae (Gahan) were attracted to odor produced by males. Odor collected from male M. caryae contained eight male-specific compounds: a 10:1 blend of (2S,3R)- and (2R,3S)-2,3-hexanediols (representing 3.2 ± 1.3% of the total male-specific compounds), (S)-(−)-limonene (3.1 ± 1.7%), 2-phenylethanol (8.0 ± 2.4%), (−)-α-terpineol (10.0 ± 2.8%), nerol (2.1 ± 1.5%), neral (63.3 ± 7.3%), and geranial (8.8 ± 2.4%). Initial field bioassays determined that none of these compounds was attractive as a single component. Further field trials that used a subtractive bioassay strategy determined that both sexes were attracted to the complete blend of synthetic components, but the elimination of any one component resulted in a decline in trap captures. Blends that were missing (2S,3R)-2,3-hexanediol, (2R,3S)-2,3-hexanediol, or citral (a 1:1 mixture of neral and geranial) attracted no more beetles than did controls. A pheromone blend of this complexity, composed of alkanediols, terpenoids, and aromatic alcohols, is unprecedented for cerambycid species.
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Acknowledgments
This project was supported by funds from the Exotic/Invasive Pests and Diseases Research Program, University of California, under USDA-CSREES Grant no. 2004-34439-14691, the Alphawood Foundation, and Hatch Project no. CA-R*ENT-5181H to JGM. This research was in partial fulfillment of a Ph.D. degree for ESL from UIUC.
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Lacey, E.S., Moreira, J.A., Millar, J.G. et al. A Male-produced Aggregation Pheromone Blend Consisting of Alkanediols, Terpenoids, and an Aromatic Alcohol from the Cerambycid Beetle Megacyllene caryae . J Chem Ecol 34, 408–417 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-008-9425-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-008-9425-3