SPINED CITRUS BUGS, BIPRORULUS-BIBAX BREDDIN (HEMIPTERA, PENTATOMIDAE), DO NOT DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN ENANTIOMERS IN THEIR AGGREGATION PHEROMONE

Female spined citrus bugs, Biprorulus bibax, in outdoor flight cage te sts did not discriminate between synthetic aggregation pheromone blend s containing either the racemate, natural (3R, 4S)-(-) or unnatural (4 S, 3S)-(+) enantiomers of the major hemiacetal component (3R, 4S, 1'E) -3,4-bis(1'-butenyl)tetrahydro-2-furanol. Two to three times as many b ugs were attracted to pheromone-baited sites compared to unbaited site s. The racemate of the hemiacetal is easier and less costly to synthes ize than the enantiomers and will be used in development of the pherom one as a management tool for this pest.