Improved two‐component blend of the synthetic female sex pheromone of Cryptophlebia leucotreta, and identification of an attractant for C. peltastica

A series of field evaluations using the Pherocon‐1C trap examined various doses and blends of the following synthetic pheromone compounds: (E)‐7‐dodecenyl acetate (E7–12:Ac), (E)‐8‐dodecenyl acetate (E8‐12:Ac), (Z)‐8‐dodecenyl acetate (Z8‐12:Ac), decyl acetate (10:Ac), dodecyl acetate (12:Ac), tetradecyl acetate (14:Ac), hexadecyl acetate (16:Ac), and octadecyl acetate (18:Ac). It was concluded that E7–12:Ac is not a true sex pheromone in Cryptophlebia leucotreta (Meyrick) because it only led to significant male catches at doses greater than 1 mg per lure and did not perform as well as mixtures of E8–12:Ac and Z8–12:Ac. The latter mixtures led to significantly higher catches of C. leucotreta when the ratio of E8–12:Ac to Z8–12:Ac was 9:1 rather than 1:1 as in commercial lures. Increases in dosages of this blend from 1 mg to 50 mg per lure did not lead to increases in male moth catches. An additional 10% 12:Ac had no consistent significant effect on numbers of captured males. 10:Ac, 12:Ac, 14:Ac, 16:Ac, and 18:Ac, individually or in various combinations with 9:1 E8–12:Ac and Z8‐12:Ac corresponding to their average proportions in female pheromone glands, did not lead to significant increases in C. leucotreta catches. Blends of E8–12:Ac and Z8–12:Ac at 1 mg per lure also resulted in catches of males of the litchi moth, Cryptophlebia peltastica (Meyrick), when containing 70% or more Z8–12:Ac. Maximum catches of C. peltastica occurred in traps baited with 100% Z8–12:Ac.