Sex Attractant Pheromone of the Common Cutworm Moth, Agrotis fucosa BUTLER (Lepidoptera : Noctuidae) : Isolation and Identification

Abstract

Two components of the female sex attractant pheromone of the common cutworm moth, A. fucosa, were isolated from filter paper exposed to virgin females and identified as (Z)-5-decenyl acetate and (Z)-7-decenyl acetate. The ratio of (Z)-5-decenyl acetate to (Z)-7-decenyl acetate in the extract was 68:32. Synthetic compounds were individually weakly active or inactive for male attraction, but a mixture of these compounds showed potent attractant activity in field tests.