Effects of male age and mating status on response to the female sex pheromone of Copitarsia decolora (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The effects of male age and mating status on the behavioral response of Copitarsia decolora (Guenée) males to the glandular extract of the female sex pheromone were studied by conducting wind tunnel bioassays and electroantennography (EAG). To study the effect of age, 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11 day old males were used to measure attraction in the wind tunnel. To study the effect of age on virgin male antenna depolarization, Individual males 3-, 6- and 9-days old were used. The effect of male mating status was studied with 4-6 day old males and subsequent pheromone response was measured after a period of 24 and 48 h. Both male age and mating status significantly affected male response to the female sex pheromone. In the wind tunnel, male attraction to the extract reached its maximum in males 4-7 days old and then decreased as moth age increased. The glandular extract provoked a significantly greater depolarization of the antennae of 6 day old males than in 3 and 9 day old males. In the wind tunnel, virgin males were more attracted to female extracts than mated males. Significantly greater depolarization was observed in the antennae of virgin than mated males.