Responses of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus adults to selected synthetic palm esters: electroantennographic studies and trap catches in an urban environment.
BACKGROUND
The red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier, accidentally introduced into the European countries facing the Mediterranean basin, is becoming the most serious pest for ornamental palms in the urban environment. In the present work, tests were conducted on the electroantennogram (EAG) and behavioural responses of RPW adults to five selected synthetic palm esters, ethyl propionate, ethyl butyrate, ethyl isobutyrate, ethyl lactate and ethyl acetate, to assess the application of a mass trapping technique in an urban environment.


RESULTS
In the laboratory, EAG bioassays on RPW adults with the synthetic palm esters showed: (1) positive dose-dependent responses; (2) differences among the treatments; (3) a greater response to ethyl propionate; (4) a higher sensitivity of female antennae compared with male antennae. In the urban environment, RPW behavioural responses, evaluated over six biweekly observations on pheromone- and molasses- baited traps, showed that more adults were caught by traps supplemented with ethyl propionate and ethyl acetate than by traps supplemented with only ethyl propionate. Similar catches were recorded in the traps supplemented with ethyl propionate or ethyl acetate.


CONCLUSIONS
This study supports the application of the mass trapping implemented with synthetic palm esters as a potential tool for the management of RPW populations to protect ornamental palms in urban environments.
Entomology and Zoology Section, Department of Entomology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. guarino@unipa.it
Salvatore
S
Guarino
Paolo Lo
PL
Bue
Ezio
E
Peri
Stefano
S
Colazza
D000085:Acetates; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D002087:Butyrates; D005260:Female; D007300:Insect Control / Q000379:methods; D007773:Lactates; D008297:Male; D010675:Pheromones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011422:Propionates; D048889:Weevils / Q000187:drug effects*
D000085:Acetates; D002087:Butyrates; D007773:Lactates; D010675:Pheromones; D011422:Propionates; C010411:insect attractants; C007650:ethyl acetate; C069373:ethyl propionate; C015866:ethyl lactate; C045572:ethyl butyrate