Journal of Insect Science (2006) 6 (39), 1-124

Paul S. Robbins, Steven R. Alm, Charles D. Armstrong, Anne L. Averill, Thomas C. Baker, Robert J. Bauernfiend, Frederick P. Baxendale, S. Kris Braman, Rick L. Brandenburg, Daniel B. Cash, Gary J. Couch, Richard S. Cowles, Robert L. Crocker, Zandra D. DeLamar, Timothy G. Dittl, Sheila M. Fitzpatrick, Kathy L. Flanders, Tom Forgatsch, Timothy J. Gibb, Bruce D. Gill, Daniel O. Gilrein, Clyde S. Gorsuch, Abner M. Hammond, Patricia D. Hastings, David W.Held, Paul R. Heller, Rose T. Hiskes, James L. Holliman, William G. Hudson, Michael G. Klein, Vera L. Krischik, David J. Lee, Charles E. Linn, Jr., Nancy J. Luce, Kenna E. MacKenzie, Catherine M. Mannion, Sridhar Polavarapu, Daniel A. Potter, Wendell L. Roelofs, Brian M. Royals, Glenn A. Salsbury, Nathan M. Schiff, David J. Shetlar, Margaret Skinner, Beverly L. Sparks, Jessica A. Sutschek, Timothy P. Sutschek, Stanley R. Swier, Martha M. Sylvia, Neil J. Vickers, Patricia J. Vittum, Richard Weidman, Donald C. Weber, R. Chris Williamson and Michael G Villani (2006)
Trapping Phyllophaga spp. (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) in the United States and Canada using sex attractants
Journal of Insect Science 6 (39), 1-124
Abstract: The sex pheromone of the scarab beetle, Phyllophaga anxia, is a blend of the methyl esters of two amino acids, L-valine and L-isoleucine. A field trapping study was conducted, deploying different blends of the two compounds at 59 locations in the United States and Canada. More than 57,000 males of 61 Phyllophaga species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) were captured and identified. Three major findings included: (1) widespread use of the two compounds [of the 147 Phyllophaga (sensu stricto) species found in the United States and Canada, males of nearly 40% were captured]; (2) in most species intraspecific male response to the pheromone blends was stable between years and over geography; and (3) an unusual pheromone polymorphism was described from P. anxia. Populations at some locations were captured with L-valine methyl ester alone, whereas populations at other locations were captured with L-isoleucine methyl ester alone. At additional locations, the L-valine methyl ester-responding populations and the L-isoleucine methyl ester-responding populations were both present, producing a bimodal capture curve. In southeastern Massachusetts and in Rhode Island, in the United States, P. anxia males were captured with blends of L-valine methyl ester and L-isoleucine methyl ester.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Paul S. Robbins

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
pheromones/attractants/traps
surveys/sampling/distribution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Phyllophaga anxia		U.S.A. (NE)
	Phyllophaga anxia		U.S.A. (SE)