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Extracts of female sex pheromone gland of the carpenterworm moth, Holcocerus hippophaecolus Hua, a pest of sandthorn, Hippophae rhamnoides L. were found to contain (E)-3-tetradecenyl acetate (E3-14:Ac), (Z)-3-tetradecenyl acetate (Z3-14:Ac), (Z)-7-tetradecenyl acetate (Z7-14:Ac), the corresponding alcohols, E3-14:OH, Z3-14:OH, Z7-14:OH, and (E)-9-tetradecenyl acetate (E9-14:Ac). Electroantennographic (EAG) analysis of these chemicals and their analogs demonstrated that Z7-14:Ac elicited the largest male EAG response, followed by E3-14:Ac. In field trials, traps baited with either Z7-14:Ac or E3-14:Ac alone caught no male moths, whereas a combination of these two components in a 1:1 ratio caught more males than control traps. Addition of Z7-14:OH and Z3-14:OH or the alcohols plus E9-14:Ac did not enhance trap catches. We conclude that the sex pheromone of H. hippophaecolus is composed of Z7-14:Ac and E3-14:Ac. Optimal ratios and doses of these two components, and the possible role of other minor components, remain to be determined.

By means of thin-layer chromatography (TLC), electroantennogram (EAG), gas chromatography (GC), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and field tests, (Z)-3-tetradecenyl acetate(Z3-14:Ac), (E)-3-tetradecen-1-ol(E3-14:OH), and (Z)-3-tetradecen-1-ol(Z3-14:OH) at a ratio of 51:39:10 were identified from the female sex pheromone gland extracts of the carpenterworm, Holcocerus insularis Staudinger (Lepidoptera, Cossidae). The average amounts of Z3-14:Ac, E3-14:OH and Z3-14:OH in a single sex pheromone gland of calling moth were 7.29+/-2.72 ng, 5.72+/-2.43 ng and 1.44+/-0.56 ng, respectively. This is the first time that Z3-14:Ac was identified as a component of lepidopteran sex pheromone. Traps baited with rubber septa impregnated with Z3-14:Ac (500 microg/septum) were more effective than the traps baited with virgin female. The addition of the E3-14:OH and Z3-14:OH to rubber septa baited with Z3-14:Ac did not modify H. insularius male attraction, but E3-14:Ac slightly enhanced trap catch.