Kairomones and their use for management of entomophagous insects. XV. : Identification of several acids in scales ofHeliothis zea moths and comments on their possible role as kairomones forTrichogramma pretiosum.

Acids found in moth scales of laboratory-rearedHeliothis zea (Boddie) moths are hexanoic, heptanoic, octanoic, nonanoic, 2- (or 3-) furan carboxylic, phenylacetic, benzoic, sorbic, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid. The last two of these acids are preservatives added to the artifical diet as sorbic acid and methyl-p-hydroxybenzoate. FemaleTrichogramma pretiosum Riley exhibited increased rates of parasitization ofH. zea eggs in the presence of some of these compounds in laboratory experiments. Exposure to a mixture of all of these compounds did not increase parasitization, and the elimination of acids from the crude moth-scale extract did not reduce parasitization by the wasps.