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Phenylacetaldehyde attracts male and female apple clearwing moths, S ynanthedon myopaeformis , to inflorescences of showy milkweed, A sclepias speciosa
Author(s) -
Eby Chelsea,
Gardiner Mark G.T.,
Gries Regine,
Judd Gary J.R.,
Khaskin Grigori,
Gries Gerhard
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
entomologia experimentalis et applicata
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.765
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1570-7458
pISSN - 0013-8703
DOI - 10.1111/eea.12045
Subject(s) - semiochemical , phenylacetaldehyde , biology , attraction , inflorescence , sex pheromone , botany , pheromone , pest analysis , popillia , nectar , japanese beetle , pollen , scarabaeidae , linguistics , biochemistry , philosophy
S ynanthedon myopaeformis B orkhausen ( L epidoptera: S esiidae) is a diurnal clearwing moth native to E urasia that was recently introduced into B ritish C olumbia ( BC ) and O ntario, C anada, where it has become a serious pest in apple orchards. In BC , these moths commonly feed on nectar of inflorescences, particularly that of showy milkweed, A sclepias speciosa T orrey ( A pocynaceae). We investigated the relative importance of visual and olfactory cues, and the key floral semiochemical(s) mediating attraction of S . myopaeformis to A . speciosa . In field experiments, inflorescences left exposed or enclosed in cheesecloth bags dyed green induced similar visitation rates by moths, indicating that olfactory cues are attractive. Among the >10 floral odourants that elicited responses from moth antennae in coupled gas chromatographic‐electroantennographic detection analyses, phenylacetaldehyde induced the most frequent proboscis extension reflexes of male and female moths. Among eight floral odourants that were field‐tested singly, phenylacetaldehyde attracted 35 times more male and female moths than any other candidate semiochemical. Attractiveness of phenylacetaldehyde could not be enhanced by admixture with other floral odourants at the ratios or concentrations tested indicating that it alone may mediate attraction of S . myopaeformis to the inflorescences of A . speciosa . The potential use of phenylacetaldehyde as bait to monitor or mass‐trap populations of male and female S . myopaeformis should be investigated.