SEX-PHEROMONE OF THE COTTON CATERPILLAR, DIAPHANIA-INDICA (SAUNDERS) (LEPIDOPTERA, PYRALIDAE) - IDENTIFICATION AND FIELD ATTRACTION

Extracts from the abdominal tips of female moths of the cotton caterpi llar moth, Diaphania indica (ca. 15.4 ng/female and 7.6 ng/female, res pectively) yielded major EAG-active components that were identified as Q-11-hexadecenal (E11-16:Ald) and (E,E)-10,12-hexadecadienal (E10E12- 16:Ald). Hexadecanal(16:Ald) was also found and determined to be at a ca. 2% level compared with E11-16:Ald. Mixture of synthetic E10E12-16: Ald and E11-16:Ald showed attractiveness to males in the field, althou gh it was inferior to three 2-d-old virgin females. The addition of 16 :Ald at 0.5% to 10% amounts of E11-16:Ald did not effect the trap catc hes.