The United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of

Robert J Bartelt

Patrick F Dowd

Donald T Wicklow

Fred J Eller

Synthetically prepared pheromone compositions, prepared from various mixtures of (Z)-3,3-dimethyl-.DELTA..sup.1,.beta. -cyclohexane ethanol, (E)-3,3-dimethyl .DELTA..sup.1,.beta. -cyclohexane ethanol, (Z)-3,3-dimethyl-.DELTA..sup.1,.alpha. -cyclohexane acetaldehyde, (E)-3,3-dimethyl-.DELTA..sup.1,.alpha. -cyclohexane acetaldehyde, (E)-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienoic acid, and (E)-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadien-1-ol were found to be attractive to both male and female pepper weevils. The compositions will greatly enhance pepper growers' ability to control these destructive pests.

Compositions for the control of pepper weevils

The attractiveness of the male-produced aggregation pheromones from nitidulid beetles is greatly enhanced by certain organophosphorus insecticides. Combinations of pheromone and insecticide typically attract substantially more beetles than the pheromone alone, and the combinations afford the advantage of both attracting and killing the beetles.

Organophosphorus insecticides as synergizicides for Carpophilus spp.

An insect trap for attracting and capturing flying insects. The apparatus includes a chamber for holding an insect attractant and exposing the same to a current of air, and having a first opening allowing passage of air but not insects therein. Positioned opposite the first opening, at least one funnel-shaped entrance to the chamber allows entry of the insects into the trap, as well as passage of air currents and entrained attractant odors out of the trap. An insect collection container, optionally having a one-way entrance, is also provided, and communicates with the chamber through a second chamber opening and the one-way entrance. Proper orientation of the trap in the wind is achieved by mounting a wind vane or fins onto the exterior of the chamber so as to position the first opening upwind, and the funnel-shaped entrance to the chamber downwind from the first opening. In the alternative, the wind vane may be omitted and the chamber constructed in the shape of a wedge, tapering toward the first opening, to enable trap orientation in like manner.

Wind-oriented funnel trap

A male-produced aggregation pheromone was demonstrated in Carpophilus hemipterus (L.) (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) using a wind-tunnel bioassay. The attractiveness of the pheromone is greatly enhanced by volatiles from a host plant, and combinations of pheromone and food volatiles typically attract 3-10 times more beetles than either source by itself. The pheromone consists of a series of 13-, 14-, and 15-carbon unsaturated hydrocarbons, the most abundant of which is 3,5,7-trimethyl-(E,E,E,E)-2,4,6,8-decatetraene.

Aggregation pheromones of the driedfruit beetle, Carpophilus hemipterus

Male-produced aggregation pheromones were demonstrated in Carpophilus hemipterus (L.), Carpophilus lugubris Murray, and Carpophilus freemani Dobson (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) using a wind-tunnel bioassay. The attractiveness of the pheromones is greatly enhanced by volatiles from a host plant, and combinations of pheromone and food volatiles typically attract 3-10 times more beetles than either source by itself. The pheromones consist of a series of 12-, 13-, 14-, and 15-carbon unsaturated hydrocarbons. The most abundant of these in C. hemipterus is (2E,4E,6E,8E)-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-decatetraene. In C. lugubris, the most abundant is (2E,4E,6E,8E)-7-ethyl-3,5-dimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene, and in C. freemani, (2E,4E,6E)-5-ethyl-3-methyl-2,4,6-nonatriene.

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East Peoria, IL, United States of America

Robert J Bartelt