Volume 34, Number 3, 408-417, DOI: 10.1007/s10886-008-9425-3

A Male-produced Aggregation Pheromone Blend Consisting of Alkanediols, Terpenoids, and an Aromatic Alcohol from the Cerambycid Beetle Megacyllene caryae

Emerson S. Lacey, Jardel A. Moreira, Jocelyn G. Millar and Lawrence M. Hanks

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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.

Keywords  Aggregation pheromone - Sex pheromone - 2,3-Hexanediol - Longhorned beetle - Wood-boring insect - Limonene - Geranial - Neral - Nerol - 2-Phenylethanol - α-Terpineol

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