A male-produced aggregation pheromone blend consisting of alkanediols, terpenoids, and an aromatic alcohol from the cerambycid beetle Megacyllene caryae.
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%), (-)-alpha-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.
Lacey
Emerson S
ES
Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 320 Morrill Hall 505 South Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL 61801, USA. elacey@life.uiuc.edu
Moreira
Jardel A
JA
Millar
Jocelyn G
JG
Hanks
Lawrence M
LM
D000438:Alcohols / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants; D010675:Pheromones / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013729:Terpenes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology
D000438:Alcohols; D010675:Pheromones; D013729:Terpenes