CALLING BEHAVIOR OF FEMALES OF Diatraea considerata HEINRICH (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE) AND EXTRACTION OF SEX PHEROMONE

Abstract

The calling behavior of virgin and mated females of the sugarcane borer (Diatraea considerata Heinrich), was studied at 25 ± 2 °C and 70 ± 5 RH under a 14-hour photoperiod. Evaluation as sex attractant of the gland pheromone extract from calling females was conducted under field conditions. All of the virgin females (n=20) started calling after emerging the same night, about eight hours after the onset of darkness. On the following days, the calling behavior was limited to the second half of the dark phase or scotophase, initiating around the fifth hour and continuing until the end of the night. Except for the first and sixth nights, the mean onset calling time and duration of calling each day remained constant; however, the number of calling females decreased with age. After the virgin females were mated (n=21), 84 % of them stopped their calling behavior. Sexual activity of D. considerata in the field occurred mostly between 03:00 and 04:00 h. During this period the extract of pheromone attracted the same number of male moths as did virgin females.