The adult behavior and sex pheromone titers of Isoceras sibirica Alpheraky (Lepidoptera, Cossidae) were investigated to determine the diel periodicity of pheromone production during one scotophase and the effect of age on pheromone production. The results showed that females began to call on the first night after eclosion and called mainly during the second half of scotophase. The percentage of females calling was highest in 1- to 3-day-old females and lowest in 4- to 5-day-old females. The onset of scotophase calling occurred earlier as females aged. The responses to the pheromone source of males aged 1-5 days were monitored in a wind tunnel. Peak activity was observed in 3-day-old males, 4 h after the onset of the scotophase. The mating of all 1- to 3-day-old moths began after 6 h in scotophase and some 4- to 5-day-old moths began during the fourth hour. The average duration of copulation was 34.2 ± 18.2 min (N = 45) and ranged from 17.0 to 56.3 min. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of hexane extracts of pheromone glands revealed that the titers of the three sex pheromone components, (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate (Z9-14:Ac), (Z)-7-tetradecenyl acetate, and (Z)-9-hexadecadecenyl acetate were very low on the first night after eclosion, increased and peaked on the second night, then decreased with age. During the first 4 h of the scotophase, titers remained invariant, whereas from 4 to 6 h, pheromone titers increased sharply and peaked, with the greatest peak observed in the primary component, Z9-14:Ac. After the peak, all recorded titers declined until they reached a minimum between the ninth and tenth hours of the dark cycle. In field tests, most of the males were captured in traps during 00:00-02:00 h (13 ± 0.48), and females aged 2 days attracted more males than females of other ages. We infer that the I. sibirica mating system is organized around circadian control of mate calling and mating.

We discovered that extracts of the female sex pheromone gland of the carpenterworm moth Isoceras sibirica Alpheraky, a pest of Asparagus offi cinalis Linn., contained (Z)-7-tetra decen-1-ol (Z7 -14:OH), (Z)-9-tetradecen-1-ol (Z9 -14:OH), (Z)-7-tetradecenyl acetate (Z7 -14:Ac), (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate (Z9 -14:Ac), and (Z)-9-hexadecadecenyl acetate (Z9 -16:Ac). The average levels of the chemicals in a single sex pheromone gland of a calling moth were (0.71 ± 0.24) ng, (1.42 ± 0.44) ng, (4.36 ± 0.32) ng, (8.71 ± 0.26) ng, and (0.82 ± 0.38) ng, respectively. The electroantennography (EAG) analysis of these chemicals and their analogues demonstrated that Z9 -14:Ac triggered signifi cantly the male EAG response. Traps with rubber septa lure impregnated with Z9 -14:Ac (500 μg/septum), Z7 -14:Ac (250 μg/septum), and Z9 -16:Ac (50 μg/septum) were more effective in catching male moths than traps with other baits or virgin females. Addition of Z7 -14:OH and Z9 -14:OH to rubber septa did not enhance the effi ciency of the trap.