Journal of Chemical Ecology (1995) 21, 331-341

Zvi Mendel, Lev Zegelman, Alfred Hassner, Fabienne Assael, Miriam Harel, Shlomo Tam and Ezra Dunkelblum (1995)
Outdoor attractancy of males of Matsucoccus josephi (Homoptera: Matsucoccidae) and Elatophilus hebraicus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) to synthetic female sex pheromone of Matsucoccus josephi
Journal of Chemical Ecology 21 (3), 331-341
Abstract: The active component of the sex pheromone of Matsucoccus josephi is (2E,6E,8E)-5,7-dimethyl-2,6,8-decatrien-4-one; the chemical is also a powerful kairomone of adult males and females of the bug Elatophilus hebraicus the principal predator of M. josephi. The presence of the Z isomer (2E,6Z,8E)-5,7-dimethyl-2,6,8-decatrien-4-one does not interfere with the attractancy of the active E component for M. josephi males or the bug. Our results show a clear dose-response between trap catch of M. josephi males and E. hebraicus. Conversely, increasing amounts of the Z isomer in the mixture did not affect the attraction of the scale insect males or the bug. The catch of M. josephi males did not differ significantly among traps of different color, and was significantly higher with traps attached to the tree trunk than those suspended between trees. Comparison of the catch of M. josephi among the three forests and between pine species suggests that the level of infestation of Pinus halepepsis and Pinus brutia ssp.brutia is similar, despite the fact that the latter pine is resistant to the scale insect. Both sexes of E. hebraicus were trapped in much lower numbers at the more infested sites. This may be related to interference with the activity of E. hebraicus due to deterioration and drying of parts of the tree crowns and heavy colonization by generalist predators in injured trees.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Zvi Mendel

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
pheromones/attractants/traps
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
environment/habitat manipulation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Matsucoccus josephi	Pine (Pinus)
Elatophilus hebraicus (predator)	Matsucoccus josephi	Pine (Pinus)