Sex Pheromone of the Saturniid Moth Hemileuca nevadensis from Southern California.

ABSTRACT

The major and possibly only component of the sex attractant pheromone of the moth Hemileuca nevadensis (Lepidoptera Saturniidae) from southern California was determined to be (E10,Z12)-hexadecadienal (E10,Z12-16Ald). Detectable quantities of the analogs (E10,Z12)-hexadecadien-1-yl acetate (E10,Z12-16Ac) and (E10,Z12)-hexadecadien-1-ol (E10,Z12-16OH) were also present in solvent extracts of sex pheromone glands, and stimulated male antennae in coupled gas chromatography-electroantennogram detector (GC-EAD) assays. GC-EAD traces from solid phase microextraction (SPME) wipe samples of sex pheromone glands of calling females confirmed the presence of E10,Z12-16Ald and traces of E10,Z12-16OH on the gland surface, but E10,Z12-16Ac was not detected. Despite evidence for the presence of all three compounds in extracts, behavioral responses to synthetic compounds in the field suggested that only E10,Z12-16Ald is required for optimal attraction.