Sex pheromone of the common sheep moth, Hemileuca eglanterina, from the San Gabriel Mountains of California

Article abstract of DOI:10.1023/A:1020876229787

The sex pheromone of Hemileuca eglanterina from the San Gabriel Mountains, California, was determined to be a combination of E10,Z12- hexadeca-10,12-dien-1-yl acetate, E10,Z12-hexadeca-10,12-dien-1-ol, and E10,Z12-hexadeca-10,12-dienal. Ratios of the compounds in extracts of female pheromone glands varied around a mean of 100:48:1.1 of the acetate, alcohol, and aldehyde, respectively. Field trials with synthetic compounds indicated that the optimum ratio of alcohol to aldehyde was 10:1 and that this ratio was more critical than the ratio of either compound to the acetate. A synthetic blend of 100:10:1 acetate-alcohol-aldehyde was effective at attracting male moths in the field. Additional compounds found in both extract and aeration samples failed to significantly increase trap catches of male moths, although some of these minor components elicited responses from male moth antennae in coupled gas chromatography-electroantennography studies.