Ingibitors of Sexual Attraction in the Moth Agrotis exclamationis

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Abstract
The sex-attractant system of the dart moth Agrotis exclamationis (L.) (Noctuidae) was re-investigated with electrophysiological and field trapping tests. The identified pheromone components (Z)-5-tetradecenyl acetate and (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate elicited maximum trap captures when combined in a Z5-/Z9-mixture ratio of between 100/10 and 100/20, in contrast to an earlier reported mixture optimum of 100/5. Each compound activated a particular type of receptor cell located in the male antennal hair sensilla. Three further cell types discovered in these sensilla responded specifically to the non-pheromonal compounds (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate and (Z)-7-and (Z)-11-tetra-decenyl acetate. These latter compounds did not show attractive or synergistic properties in field trapping tests but rather reduced captures when added to the binary pheromone blend as a third component. The biological functions of these three “attraction-inhibitors” remain unidentified.

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