Contact pheromone components and diel periodicity of sexual communication in peach twig borers, anarsia lineatella (lepidoptera: gelechiidae)

Sexual communication of the peach twig borer moth, Anarsia lineatella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), was re-investigated. In a field-trapping experiment, females were more attractive to foraging males than synthetic sex pheromone [(Q-5-decen- 1 -yl acetate and (E)-5-decen- 1-01], suggesting that females use additional communication signals. Three new pheromone components [octadecanyl acetate, (R)-1 1 -methyltricosane, (9-1 1 -methyltricosane] were identified in extracts of female bodies. In laboratory experiments, these body components together with sex pheromone components induced contact by males. Body pheromone components did not enhance attractiveness of sex pheromone components in field experiments, suggesting that they are effective only at close range. Females retained a constant titre of sex pheromone in pheromone glands, but emitted pheromone and attracted males only during periods of sexual communication in the early morning hours (3:OO to 6:00 Pacific Standard Time).