Attractant Pheromone of the Neotropical Species Neomegalotomus parvus (Westwood)‎ (Heteroptera : Alydidae)‎

الملخص EN

The Neotropical broad-headed bug, Neomegalotomus parvus (Westwood), is adapted to various leguminous crops and is considered a pest in common bean and soybean.

The chemical communication of this species was studied in order to identify an attractant pheromone.

Males and females of N.

parvus produce several short-chain esters and acids, and their antennae showed electrophysiological responses to five of these compounds, three common to both sexes (hexyl butanoate, 4-methylhexyl butanoate, and hexyl hexanoate), and two female-specific compounds (4-methylhexyl pentanoate and hexyl pentanoate).

Both aeration extracts of females and a solution containing five synthetic compounds mimicking the natural blend were attractive to males and females N.

parvus in a laboratory bioassay.

Aspects of the chemical ecology of the broad-headed bugs and the possibility to use pheromone-baited traps in the field for monitoring are discussed.