Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-15-2006
Abstract
The sex pheromone of the scarab beetle, Phyllophaga anxia, is a blend of the methyl esters of two amino acids, L-valine and L-isoleucine. A field trapping study was conducted, deploying different blends of the two compounds at 59 locations in the United States and Canada. More than 57,000 males of 61 Phyllophaga species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) were captured and identified. Three major findings included: (1) widespread use of the two compounds [of the 147 Phyllophaga (sensu stricto) species found in the United States and Canada, males of nearly 40% were captured]; (2) in most species intraspecific male response to the pheromone blends was stable between years and over geography; and (3) an unusual pheromone polymorphism was described from P. anxia. Populations at some locations were captured with Lvaline methyl ester alone, whereas populations at other locations were captured with L-isoleucine methyl ester alone. At additional locations, the L-valine methyl ester-responding populations and the L-isoleucine methyl ester-responding populations were both present, producing a bimodal capture curve. In southeastern Massachusetts and in Rhode Island, in the United States, P. anxia males were captured with blends of L-valine methyl ester and L-isoleucine methyl ester.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
Journal of Insect Science
First Page
1
Last Page
124
Recommended Citation
Robbins, P., Alm, S., Armstrong, C., Averill, A., Baker, T., Bauernfiend, R., Baxendale, F., Braman, S., Brandenburg, R., Cash, D., Couch, G., Cowles, R., Crocker, R., DeLamar, Z., Dittl, T., Fitzpatrick, S., Flanders, K., Forgatsch, T., Gibb, T., Gill, B., Gilrein, D., Gorsuch, C., Hammond, A., Hastings, P., Held, D., Heller, P., Hiskes, R., Holliman, J., Hudson, W., Klein, M., Krischik, V., Lee, D., & Linn, C. (2006). Trapping Phyllophaga spp. (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) in the United States and Canada using sex attractants. Journal of Insect Science, 6, 1-124. https://doi.org/10.1673/2006_06_39.1