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Title: A SEX ATTRACTANT FOR THE SIBERIAN MOTH, DENDROLIMUS SUPERANS SIBERICUS (LEPIDOPTERA: LASIOCAMPIDAE)

Author
item KLUN, JEROME
item BARANCHIKOV, YURI - RUSSIAN ACAD OF SCIENCES
item MASTRO, VICTOR - USDA, APHIS
item HIJJI, YOUSEF - MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
item NICHOLSON, JESSE - HOWARD UNIVERSITY
item RAGENOVICH, RAGEL - USDA, FS
item VSHIVKOVA, TAMARA - RUSSIAN ACAD OF SCIENCES

Submitted to: Journal of Entomological Sciences
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/11/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: There is considerable concern that certain exotic moth pests may become accidentally established in the U.S.A. through international trading activities. Among the most serious potential pests is the Siberian moth. Should this moth become established in North America, it could cause serious damage to the environment, water quality and significant economic damage from restrictive internal and external quarantines on trade. Critical to preventing the introduction and establishment of any exotic pest is a capability to monitor the potentially damaging exotic insect populations in its native countries and at possible ports of entry in this country. The problem was that no attractant was available for detection of the moth at ports. We set out to find a chemical attractant to trap the insect, which would allow effective monitoring or ports of possible entry so that accidental introductions of the pest could be promptly detected and then controlled. By synthesis of candidate attractants, we discovered a synthetic mixture of chemicals that is a potent sex attractant for the Siberian moth. This sex attractant is now available to serve as the first line of defense of U.S. forests against this destructive pest.

Technical Abstract: Field trapping experiments were conducted against the Siberian moth, Dendrolimus superans sibericus Butler in Siberia, Russia, using traps baited with a virgin female moth or 100 ug synthetic mixtures of C12 straight chain-length aldehydes, alcohols, and acetates alone or in combinations on rubber septa. Traps baited with a 1:1 blend of aldehydes and alcohols captured many males. The capture rate was similar to the rat of capture seen in traps baited with virgin females. The mixture of aldehydes and alcohols (50% Z,E-5,7-dodecadienal, 13% Z-5-dodecenal, 28% E-7-dodecenal) and (59% Z,E-5,7-dodecadien-1-ol, 13% Z-5-dodecen-1-ol, 28% E-7-dodecen-1-ol) can be used as a sex attractant to monitor endemic Siberian moth populations in Asia and for surveillance and detection of the moth in countries where the pest might be accidentally introduced.