Antennal and Behavioral Responses of Virgin and Mated Oriental Fruit Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Females to Their Sex Pheromone

Abstract Electroantennogram (EAG) and behavioral responses of female oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), were studied using the synthetic major component, (Z)-8-dodecenyl acetate, and partial three-component blend, (Z)-8-dodecenyl-acetate:(E)-8-dodecenyl-acetate:(Z)-8-dodecenol (in a 93:6:1 ratio), of the sex pheromone. EAGs elicited by both the single and three-component pheromone were significantly greater compared with hexane solvent controls. In 1-liter plastic chambers with constant throughput of air (50 ml/min) over rubber septa loaded with 0.01 or 0.1 mg of the three-component pheromone blend, onset of female calling was advanced by ≈2 h compared with solvent controls. However, the total number of females calling at peak time and the time of calling termination did not differ between pheromone-exposed and control moths. Oviposition rates of pheromone-exposed and clean air-exposed mated female moths did not differ in similar 1-liter flow-through chambers lined...