Sexual behavior of Grapholita molesta and Choristoneura rosaceana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in a flight tunnel after prolonged exposure to the aerial concentration of pheromone previously measured in orchards treated with pheromone for mating disruption.

Sexual behavior of male moths after prolonged exposure to the 1-ng pheromone/m(3) air previously measured in orchards treated with pheromone for mating disruption was examined in a flight tunnel. The exposure of Grapholita molesta (Busck) to 1-ng (Z)-8-dodecen-1-yl acetate (Z8-12:OAc)/m(3) air for 15 min had no effect on their ability to fly upwind to a conspecific, virgin calling female. After 30 min of exposure, males exposed to a control treatment were 1.4× more likely orient to a female than males exposed to pheromone-treated air. Some G. molesta males retained the ability to orient to a female after a 30-min exposure period when the aerial concentration of Z8-12:OAc was increased 500,000× to 0.5 gm/m(3). Prolonged exposure to Z8-12:OAc did not affect response to a synthetic pheromone lure. The time required to initiate behavioral responses to a female or a lure was not affected by pheromone exposure. Male Choristoneura rosaceana (Harris) exposed to a control treatment for 15 min were 38.5× more likely to orient to a conspecific, virgin calling female than males exposed to 1-ng (Z)-11-tetradecen-1-yl acetate (Z11-14:OAc)/m(3) air for 15 min. After 30 min of exposure males were unable to fly upwind to a female. Males exposed to a control treatment for 15 min were 4.3× more likely to fly upwind to a synthetic pheromone lure than males exposed to 1-ng Z11-14:OAc/m(3) air for 15 min. The time required to initiate behavioral responses to a female or a lure was not affected by exposure to pheromone.