Determination of chirality of alcohol or latent alcohol semiochemicals in individual insects.

A method is described for determining the enantiomeric composition of chiral alcohols, lactones, and hydroxy acids in quantities ranging from 25 ng to 10 μg. Derivatization of the substance with chirally pure acetyl lactate, followed by splitless capillary gas chromatography, enables enantiomeric determinations to be made within 1-3% of the actual value. This technique was applied in the determination of semiochemical inIps pini (Say),Apis mellifera (L.), andCryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens). The results indicate that considerable variability exists within populations of some insects in the composition of their chiral semiochemicals, whereas others produce substances of constant composition.