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Title: PHEROMONE OF THE EASTERN CATERPILLAR, MALACOSOMA AMERICANUM (F.), AND ISOMERIC BARRIER IN THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEMS OF SYMPATRIC MALACOSOMA SPECIES (LEPIDOPTERA: LASIOCAMPIDAE)

Author
item Kochansky, Jan
item HILL, ADA - CORNELL UNIVERSITY
item Neal Jr, John
item Bentz, Jo Ann
item ROELOFS, WENDELL - CORNELL UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Journal of Chemical Ecology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/14/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The tent caterpillars, Malacosoma species, are found all over the northern hemisphere, but are particularly common in North America, where they are sometimes serious pests of forests and flowering and fruit trees. The eastern tent caterpillar, M. americanum, is abundant in the eastern U. S. and Canada, where it causes significant damage to ornamental plums and the flowering cherries and crab apples. We have identified an attractant mixture for the eastern tent caterpillar which proved capable of trapping as many as 100 males/trap/night, which should facilitate the monitoring of populations of this pest.

Technical Abstract: The eastern tent caterpillar, Malacosoma americanum (F.), and the forest tent caterpillar, M. disstria, are sympatric early spring herbivores of deciduous trees. The pheromone system of M. americanum has been identified as a mixture of (E,Z)-5,7-dodecadienal and the corresponding alcohol. Field data on the attractiveness of the aldehyde alone were not consistent, but mixtures of aldehyde and alcohol in varying proportions were attractive to males. Mixtures of E,Z aldehyde and E,Z acetate in various ratios showed reduced activity. Traps baited with Z,E, E,E, or Z,Z aldehydes were no more attractive than blank traps. Pherocon IC sticky traps fortified with extra adhesive and baited with lures consisting of 500 micrograms (E,Z)-5,7-dodecadienal with either 250 or100 micrograms of the corresponding alcohol trapped as many as 100 males/trap/night. Since the pheromone of M. disstria has previously been identified as a mixture of the isomeric (Z,E)-5,7-dodecadienal and (Z,E)-5,7-dodecadienol, this represents an adequate isolating mechanism.