EFFECTIVENESS OF 4 BLENDS OF EUROPEAN CORN-BORER (LEPIDOPTERA, PYRALIDAE) SEX-PHEROMONE ISOMERS AT 3 LOCATIONS IN SOUTH-CAROLINA

A field study was conducted at Florence, Newberry, and Clemson, South Carolina, to determine the relative attractiveness of four isomeric bl ends of 11-tetradecenyl acetate to male moths of the European corn bor er (ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner). The E and Z isomers were formul ated in E:Z ratios of 99:1, 97:3, 65:35, and 3:97. Trap capture data i ndicated that the E pheromone strain of the ECB was predominant at Flo rence and the Z strain was predominant at Clemson. Both strains appear ed to occur sympatrically at Newberry. Pheromone analysis of 46 ECB fe male moths at Florence indicated that 43 were the E strain and 3 were hybrids. The 99E:1Z pheromone blend captured over four times as many m ale moths as the 97E:3Z blend at Florence. The 65E:35Z blend captured 5%, 11%, and 12% of the moths at Florence, Newberry, and Clemson, resp ectively, indicating the possible presence of hybrid moths. The superi or performance of the 99E:1Z blend of 11-tetradecenyl acetate should e nhance the development of a more effective lure for the E strain of th e ECB.