D3390: Identification of sex pheromones of two Nearctic Agriotes species (Coleoptera: Elateridae)

Sex pheromone lures for adult click beetles (Coleoptera: Elateridae) are useful tools to monitor the spread of pest species, track changes over time in the composition of elaterid communities, enable mass trapping, and time pesticide application. Whereas sex pheromones of many Palearctic species have been identified, little is known about the sex pheromones of Nearctic species, particularly North American-native Agriotes species. Here we report the identification of sex pheromones of A. ferrugineipennis and A. mancus. Headspace volatiles of field-collected female A. ferrugineipennis and A. mancus were collected on Porapak Q adsorbent, and aliquots of Porapak extract were analyzed by gas chromatographic-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD). Compounds that elicited responses from male antennae were identified by GC-mass spectrometry and synthesized. Lures of candidate pheromone components were then field-tested in Vernon Pitfall Traps in grassy headlands of fields in the Spring of 2020 and 2021. These field experiments afforded very large captures of male A. ferrugineipennis and A. mancus, indicating that sex pheromone lures have potential to be used for monitoring and mass trapping of A. ferrugineipennis and A. mancus populations.