SEX-PHEROMONE OF CRANBERRY FRUITWORM, ACROBASIS-VACCINII RILEY (LEPIDOPTERA, PYRALIDAE)

The following compounds and (approximate ratios) were identified in se x pheromone gland extracts of female Acrobasis vaccinii Riley by compa rison of gas chromatography-mass spectrometric traces with those of sy nthetic standards: (E,Z)-, (Z,E)-, (Z,Z), and (E,E)-8, 10-pentadecadie n-1-ol acetates (100:1:2:12), a dodecen-1-ol acetate (8), (Z)-8-, (Z)- 9-, and (E)-9-pentadecen-1-ol acetates (3:23:4), two heptadecen-1-ol a cetates (4:4), tetradecyl, pentadecyl, hexadecyl, and heptadecyl aceta tes (3:15:10:8), dodecan-1-ol (6), tetradecan-1-ol (5), and hexadecan- 1-ol (23). The amount of (E,Z)-8, 10-pentadecadien-1-ol acetate (E8,Z1 0-15:Ac) in the extract was about 0.5 ng/female. Electroantennographic analysis of gas chromatographic fractions of female sex pheromone gla nd extract showed that the fraction containing E8,Z10-15:Ac elicited t he greatest response. Alone, E8,Z10-15:Ac failed to elicit upwind flig ht of males in flight-tunnel tests, and traps baited with it did not c atch males in field experiments. When E8,Z10-15:Ac was combined with ( E)-9-pentadecen-1-ol acetate (100:4), male upwind flight response in f light-tunnel tests was equivalent to those obtained with extract of fe male sex pheromone glands (synthetic, 62%; natural, 51%), but the perc ent of males flying upwind that contacted the source was lower (synthe tic, 47%; natural, 88%). The lower percent of source contact elicited by the synthetic pheromone could be a result of the difference in isom er ratios of 8,10-15:Ac in the natural and synthetic pheromone or coul d indicate that the synthetic pheromone is incomplete. Traps baited wi th the 100:4 combination caught large numbers of males in field experi ments.