Females of the moth
Ectomyelois ceratoniae prefer to oviposit on carobs,
Ceratonia siliqua L., infested with the fungus
Phomopsis sp. (Gothilf, 1964). An extract of the steam distillate of fungus-infested carobs was more effective in stimulating female moths to oviposit than was an extract of uninfested carobs. The extract of the fungus-infested carobs was found to be composed mainly of simple alcohols: ethanol (60%),
n-propanol3 (15%), 2-propanol (2.5%), isobutanol (15%),
n-butanol (2.5%), and isopentanol (5%). In addition, the extract contained a small proportion (1–2%) of unidentified compounds. All of the alcohols, with the exception of isopentanol, stimulated oviposition by female moths. However, the alcohols, when tested separately or as a mixture, were not as stimulating as the total extract. The unidentified compounds were less stimulating than the alcohols.
Key words
Ectomyelois ceratoniae
- oviposition stimulant - carob -
Ceratonia siliqua
- alcohols - oviposition behavior -
Phomopsis