Field response of the pine sawfly Neodiprion sertifer to controlled release of diprionyl acetate, diprionyl propionate and trans-perillenal

Two dispenser types for pine sawfly (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae) pheromones-glass capillaries and dental cotton rolls-are described, and release rates reported. Glass capillaries of different diameters were used in field tests to determine dose-response relationships of (2 S,3 S,7 S)-3,7-dimethylpentadecan-2-yl acetate (diprionyl acetate), diprionyl propionate, and trans-perillenal on the trap catch of male Neodiprion sertifer. A linear relationship between the logarithm of the capillary cross-sectional area and the logarithm of the release rate was found. However, capillaries of the same diameter could vary in the amount released by as much as a factor of 10. Both the acetate and propionate were attractive alone, but no synergistic effect was found. trans-Perillenal did not show any behavioral activity. Dental cotton rolls have been used extensively in diprionid pheromone research without knowledge about release rates. The release rate from rolls loaded with different amounts of diprionyl acetate was determined by extracting rolls after different times under constant temperature and wind conditions or after use in field tests. Quantification of diprionyl acetate was done on GC. The release rate was found to be proportional to the amount applied over several orders of magnitude, and persisted for several weeks. Capillaries and rolls with similar release rates caught similar numbers of sawflies