Identification of the female-produced sex pheromone of the scarab beetle, Hoplia equina.
Hoplia equina LeConte (Coleoptera Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) is a beetle pest of cranberry beds in Massachusetts. Larvae feed on the roots of the cranberry plant, reducing yield as well as vine density. The female sex pheromone was identified as 2-tetradecanone. There were eight compounds found in the airborne volatiles collected from females that elicited antennal responses from males. Of the eight compounds tested (nonanal, decanal, dodecanal, 2-dodecanone, 2-tridecanone, 2-tetradecanone, 2-pentadecanone, and 2-hexadecanone), 2-tetradecanone was the only one that attracted male beetles in the field. Combining any of the other seven antennally active compounds with 2-tetradecanone did not increase male capture.
Zhang
Aijun
A
USDA-ARS, Chemicals Affecting Insect Behavior Laboratory, BARC-W Beltsville, Maryland 20705, USA.
Robbins
Paul S
PS
Averill
Anne L
AL
Weber
Donald C
DC
Linn
Charles E
CE
Roelofs
Wendell L
WL
Villani
Michael G
MG
D000818:Animals; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000502:physiology*; D003651:Decanoates / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007814:Larva; D008297:Male; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014835:Volatilization
C479160:2-tetradecanone; D003651:Decanoates; D012724:Sex Attractants