Field Response of the Southern Pine Beetle to Behavioral Chemicals

Field tests were conducted in East Texas in 1973-77 to evaluate the influence of 7 behavioral chemicals on the flight and landing behavior of the southern pine beetle, Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmerman. A mixture of frontalin plus host tree volatiles attracted flying beetles within an infestation. Trans-verbenol synergized the activity of frontalin and substituted for host tree volatiles, expinene and loblolly turpentine. Verbenone in a 1: 1 ratio with frontalin did not significantly affect trap catch. At higher concentrations of verbenone, trap catch was significantly reduced. Endobrevicomin inhibited trap catch when added to an attractant-baited trap. Exo-brevicomin showed no inhibitory effect. Traps with a 1:4 mixture of endo-brevicomin and verbenone plus an attractant caught significantly fewer beetles than traps with the attractant plus either one of the inhibitors