Electroantennographic and field responses of the pea moth, Cydia nigricana, to sex attractants and related compounds

Electroantennographic (EAG) responses of the male pea moth, Cydia nigricana , to a range of saturated and unsaturated straight chain alcohols and acetates were examined. Responses to saturated compounds of different chain lengths (C 10 to c 16 ) showed that acetates are much more active than alcohols, the shorter chain compounds (particularly C 12 acetates) being the most active. With mono‐unsaturated compounds, C 12 acetates with the double bond at C‐8, C‐9 or C‐10 elicited the largest responses and (El‐10‐dodecenyl acetate produced a greater response than any other compound tested. By analogy with results obtained with C.pomonella , (E, E)‐8,lO‐dodecadienyl acetate was tested and gave an EAG response larger than that for (E)‐10‐dodecenyl acetate. (E)‐10‐dodecenyl acetate and (E, E)‐8,lO‐dodecadienyl acetate were found to be strong attractants for male C.nigricana in the field.