EAG responses to pheromone as a tool in the control of population dynamics of the gypsy moth <i>Lymantria dispar</i>

The reproductive programme of the gypsy moth Lymantria dispar L. (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), the most important defoliator of Sardinian Quercus suber L. forests, is based on production and release of its sex pheromone (+)disparlure by calling female moths and its perception by conspecific males. The acquisition of information about any factors influencing male sensitivity to this sex attractant may help improve field techniques against this defoliator or possibly provide a basis for predicting where favourable conditions for control of population dynamics will occur. In this respect, the pheromone might be used as a specific tool for olfaction research and to monitor changes in male sensitivity, thus leading to a better control of population

Analoghi di sintesi del feromone sessuale come strumento per il controllo della popolazione di <i>Lymantria dispar</i>

La strategia riproduttiva delle farfalle notturne è basata sull’utilizzo di un feromone speciespecifico, prodotto dagli esemplari femminili per il richiamo a lunga distanza degli individui maschi conspecifici. In particolare le femmine di Lymantria dispar, uno dei più importanti insetti fitofagi defogliatori delle sugherete sarde, elaborano un feromone costituito da un unico componente, chiamato (+)disparlure (2-methyl-7,8-epoxy-octadecane) e lo accumulano nella ghiandola del feromone fino al rilascio. Nel presente lavoro abbiamo sintetizzato diversi analoghi del feromone naturale, allo scopo di ottenere molecole con un maggiore potere attrattivo sugli esemplari maschili, o più stabili nel tempo, ossia dotate di tempi di decadimento più lunghi

Electrophysiological and behavioural analysis on the use of a (+) disparlure analogue for biological control of Lymantria dispar L

The female gypsy moth Lymantria dispar produces a single-component sex pheromone, called (+)disparlure (2-methyl-7,8-epoxy-octadecane), for upwind attarction of conspecific males for mating. It was recently shown that a (+) disparlure analogue, 2-decyl-1-oxaspiro(2.2)pentane (OXP-01) is neither stimulatory nor attarctive by itself, but strongly decreases the male response to the pheromone and also inhibits its attractiveness when the two compounds are blended at a 1:1 ratio. Aim of the present work is to study the temporal decay patterns of the attractive effect of the 1:1 blend as compared to those of the single components, OXP-01 and (+)D