Response of navel orangeworm (Amyelois transitella) females to their own sex pheromone
By Nancy Power, U.C. Riverside
Several species of moth from different families have been found to detect and respond to their own pheromone, including the eastern spruce budworm (Christoneura fumiferana, Tortricidae) (Palanaswamy & Seabrook, 1978), cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni, Noctuidae) (Mitchell et al. 1972), female obliquebanded leafrollers (Choristoneura rosaceana) and redbanded leafrollers (Argyrotaenia velutinana, Tortricidae), and Panaxia quadripunctata (Arctiidae). In some cases the pheromone had a stimulating effect and in others an inhibitory effect on female reproductive behaviors. I will be following the procedures of Stelinski et al. 2006 and Gokce et al 2007 to test the response of Amyelois transitella females to their own pheromone by passing a constant stream of carbon-filtered air through 1 liter flasks with septa containing pheromone components in 2 different concentrations, and using hexane solvent alone as a control. A. transitellais the most serious insect pest on almonds, so understanding its behavior may lead to better management options.
References
Gokce, A., Stelinski, L.L., Gut, L.J., Whalon, M.E. (2007). Comparative behavioral and EAG responses of female obliquebanded and redbanded leafroller moths (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) to their sex pheromone components. Eur. J. Entomol. 104:187-194.
Mitchell, E.R., Webb, J.C., and Hines, R.W. (1972). Capture of Male and Female Cabbage Loopers in Field Traps Baited with Synthetic Sex Pheromone. Environmental Entomology. Aug. 1972, 1 (4) 525-526; DOI: 10.1093/ee/1.4.525
Palanaswamy, P. and Seabrook, W.D. (November 1978). Behavioral responses of the female eastern spruce budworm Choristoneura fumiferana(Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) to the sex pheromone of her own species. J. Chem. Ecol. 4, 6:649-655.Top of Form
Bottom of Form
Top of Form
Schneider, D., Schulz, S., Priesner, E., Ziesmann, J. and Francke, W. (January 1998). Autodetection and chemistry of female and male pheromone in both sexes of the tiger moth Panaxia quadripunctaria. Journal of Comparative Physiology A 182, 2: 153-161. Stelinski, L.L., Il’ichev, A.L., Gut, L.J. (Sept. 2006). Antennal and Behavioral Responses of Virgin and Mated Oriental Fruit Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Females to Their Sex Pheromone. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 99 (5) 898-904
