Female-produced oviposition deterrents of the cigarette beetle,Lasioderma serricorne (F.) (Coleoptera: Anobiidae).

Oviposition deterrents of the cigarette beetle,Lasioderma serricorne, were isolated from its adult body extract and found to be identical to (2S,3R,1'S)-2,3-dihydro-3,5-dimethyl-2-ethyl-6-(l'-methyl-2'-oxobutyl)-4H-pyran-4-one (α-serricorone) and its l'R-epimer (β-serricorone) by spectroscopic evidence. Serricorone was previously found as one of the minor sex pheromone components of the same insect, and hence indicating bi-functional nature. The presence of two isomers in the body was proved by careful treatment. Each of them exhibited the same level of oviposition deterring activity, which was less potent than the crude body extract at an increased concentration.