Antennal and behavioural responses of the spruce seedmoth, <i>Cydia strobilella</i>, to floral volatiles of Norwayspruce, <i>Picea abies</i>, and temporal variation in emissionof active compounds

Jakobsson, Johan; Svensson, Glenn; Löfstedt, Christer; Anderbrant, Olle (2016-09-01). Antennal and behavioural responses of the spruce seedmoth, <i>Cydia strobilella</i>, to floral volatiles of Norwayspruce, <i>Picea abies</i>, and temporal variation in emissionof active compounds. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 160, (3), 209 - 218
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DOI:
| Published | English
Authors:
Jakobsson, Johan ; Svensson, Glenn ; Löfstedt, Christer ; Anderbrant, Olle
Department:
Pheromone Group
Functional zoology
BECC: Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a Changing Climate
Project:
Pheromones for managing insects in spruce seed orchards
Research Group:
Pheromone Group
Abstract:

We investigated whether spruce seed moth, Cydia strobilella L. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae, Grapholitini), one of the most damaging seed predators on Norway spruce, Picea abies (L.) H. Karst (Pinaceae), uses olfactory cues during host search. Analyses with coupled gas chromatography and electroantennography revealed that antennae of both sexes of moths responded consistently to three compounds in the headspace from female spruce flowers, i.e., α-pinene, β-pinene, and myrcene, but not to limonene as has been previously reported for this species. The amounts of these active volatiles released from flowers and cones of P. abies were quantified, and their diurnal and seasonal variation was monitored. The total release of the active volatiles correlated well with the diurnal and seasonal flight activity of C. strobilella as revealed by catches of males in pheromone-baited traps. In field trapping experiments, where baits were loaded with proportions and enantiomeric ratios of α-pinene, β-pinene, and myrcene matching those of the female P. abies floral headspace, substantial catches of male C. strobilella were achieved, whereas few females were captured. These surprising results suggest that male C. strobilella make use of host volatiles to aid them in their search for females.

Keywords:
field trapping ; GC-EAD ; Grapholitini ; host attraction ; kairomone ; Lepidoptera ; myrcene ; Pinaceae ; seed predation ; Tortricidae ; α-pinene ; β-pinene ; Ecology ; Other Chemistry Topics
ISSN:
1570-7458
LUP-ID:
6479ff6b-ed47-431f-80f4-28a7ac5f5af1 | Link: https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/6479ff6b-ed47-431f-80f4-28a7ac5f5af1 | Statistics

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