Western Bean Cutworm, Loxagrotis albicosta (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): Female Sex Pheromone Identification1

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Abstract
A heptane extract prepared from the ovipositors of four adult western bean cutworm females was found to contain a mixture of (Z)-5-dodecenyl acetate, (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate, 11-dodencenyl acetate, and dodecyl acetate in a 5: 1 :5:5 proportion, respectively. Field studies using insect traps baited with various combinations of the four compounds showed that a mixture of the three olefinic acetates is the minimum set of compounds required for maximal trap capture of adult western bean cutworm males and that a rubber septum impregnated with 19.8 μg of a mixture of the three ole fins was more effective in causing male capture than one virgin western bean cutworm female. Results indicate that the olefinic compounds identified from the ovipositor extract represent the female sex pheromone complement of the species.