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Video Q&A ViewAttendees 4

Plant-Insect Ecosystems

Student Competition 10-Minute Paper

Grad P-IE: Behavior and Ecology On-Demand Presentations

Identification of sex pheromone components of two Nearctic Agriotes species (Coleoptera: Elateridae)

On-Demand
Student Competition On-Demand

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Kendal Singleton

    Masters of Pest Management Student
    Simon Fraser University
    Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada

    • Co-Author(s)

  • RG

    Regine Gries

    Simon Fraser University
    Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

  • SA

    Santosh K. Alamsetti

    Simon Fraser University
    Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

  • Wim van Herk

    Research Scientist
    Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
    Agassiz, British Columbia, Canada

  • JS

    Julien Saquez

    CÉROM
    Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil, Québec, Canada

  • IS

    Ian Scott

    Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
    London, Ontario, Canada

  • Emily A. Lemke

    Master of Pest Management Student
    Simon Fraser University, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
    Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada

  • GG

    Gerhard Gries

    Professor
    Simon Fraser University
    Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada


Among click beetles (Coleoptera: Elateridae) are important agricultural pests, some of which have become very abundant in recent decades. While sex pheromones of some species in the Palearctic Agriotes pest complex have been identified, little is known about the sex pheromones of Neartic species and Agriotes species native to North America. This paucity of knowledge has severely limited the development of pheromone-based monitoring and management tactics for Paelarctic Agriotes pests. Species-specific, pheromone-based monitoring tools are desirable because adult beetles are easier to capture and identify than soil-dwelling wireworm larvae. Also, pheromone-based management tools affect adult beetles before they mate and oviposit. Here we report the identification of sex pheromone components of A. mancus and A. ferrugineipennis. Headspace odorants from female A. mancus and female A. ferrugineipennis were collected separately on the adsorbent Porapak Q, and aliquots of Porapak extract were analyzed by gas chromatographic-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD), using the antennae of male A. mancusand A. ferrugineipennis, respectively, as electroantennographic detectors. Compounds in head space odorants extracts that elicited antennal responses were identified by comparing their mass spectra and retention times with those of authentic standards that were synthesized or purchased. Synthetic candidate pheromone components were field-tested in Quebec (A. mancus) and in British Columbia (A. ferrugineipennis)in the Spring of 2020 and 2021.  Pheromone lures proved highly effective in capturing beetles in Vernon Pitfall Traps.