Identification and field evaluation of the sex pheromone of an invasive pest, the fall webworm Hyphantria cunea in China

Pheromone gland extracts of the fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Based on comparison of retention times and mass spectra of synthetic standards, four compounds were identified as (9Z,12Z)-octadecadienal, (9Z,12Z,15Z)-octadecatrienal, (3Z,6Z,9S,10R)-9,10-epoxy-3,6-heneico-sadiene and (3Z,6Z,9S,10R)-9,10-epoxy-1,3,6-heneicosatriene with a ratio of 2:33.6:58.4:6. Trapping tests showed that quaternary blend of these compounds was highly attractive to male H. cunea. Unitraps baited with the quaternary blend loading of 200–300 μg on a gray rubber septum were very effective for monitoring H. cunea populations. Supported by the Beijing Science and Technology Program (Grant No. D0705002040391) and Beijing Natural Science Foundation Program (Grant No. 6052018)