PHEROMONES IN WHITE-PINE CONE BEETLE, CONOPHTHORUS-CONIPERDA (SCHWARZ) (COLEOPTERA, SCOLYTIDAE)

Female white pine cone beetles, Conophthorus coniperda, attacking seco nd-year cones of eastern white pine, Pinus strobus L., produced a sex- specific pheromone that attracted conspecific males in laboratory bioa ssays and to field traps. Beetle response was enhanced by host monoter penes. The female-produced compound was identified in volatiles collec ted on Porapak Q and in hindgut extracts as (+)-trans-pityol, (1-hydro xy-1-methylethyl)-5-methyltetrahydrofuran. Males and females produced and released the (E)-(-)-spiroacetal, (5S,7S)-(-)-7-methyl-1,6-dioxasp iro[4.5]decane, which was not an attractant for either sex, but acted as a repellent for males. Porapak Q-trapped volatiles from both sexes contained (+)-trans-pinocarveol and (-)-myrtenol. In addition, hindgut extracts of females contained trans-verbenol, while males had pinocar vone and verbenone. Work in Georgia and Canada confirmed that the same isomers of pityol and spiroacetal are present in two distinct and wid ely separated populations of C. coniperda.