Identification and field evaluation of the sex pheromone of an invasive pest, the fall webworm Hyphantria cunea in China

Pheromone gland extracts of the fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Based on comparison of retention times and mass spectra of synthetic standards, four compounds were identified as (9Z,12Z)-octadecadienal, (9Z,12Z,15Z)-octadecatrienal, (3Z,6Z,9S,10R)-9,10-epoxy-3,6-heneico-sadiene and (3Z,6Z,9S,10R)-9,10-epoxy-1,3,6-heneicosatriene with a ratio of 2:33.6:58.4:6. Trapping tests showed that quaternary blend of these compounds was highly attractive to male H. cunea. Unitraps baited with the quaternary blend loading of 200-300 mu g on a gray rubber septum were very effective for monitoring H. cunea populations.