SPINED CITRUS BUGS, BIPRORULUS-BIBAX BREDDIN (HEMIPTERA, PENTATOMIDAE), DO NOT DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN ENANTIOMERS IN THEIR AGGREGATION PHEROMONE

Female spined citrus bugs, Biprorulus bibax, in outdoor flight cage tests did not discriminate between synthetic aggregation pheromone blends containing either the racemate, natural (3R, 4S)-(-) or unnatural (4S, 3S)-(+) enantiomers of the major hemiacetal component (3R, 4S, 1'E)-3,4-bis(1'-butenyl)tetrahydro-2-furanol. Two to three times as many bugs were attracted to pheromone-baited sites compared to unbaited sites. The racemate of the hemiacetal is easier and less costly to synthesize than the enantiomers and will be used in development of the pheromone as a management tool for this pest.