Outdoor attractancy of males of Matsucoccus josephi (Homoptera: Matsucoccidae) and Elatophilus hebraicus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) to synthetic female sex pheromone of Matsucoccus josephi

The active component of the sex pheromone of Matsucoccus josephi is (2 E,6 E,8 E)-5,7-dimethyl-2,6,8-decatrien-4-one; the chemical is also a powerful kairomone of adult males and females of the bug Elatophilus hebraicus the principal predator of M. josephi. The presence of the Z isomer (2 E,6 Z,8 E)-5,7-dimethyl-2,6,8-decatrien-4-one does not interfere with the attractancy of the active E component for M. josephi males or the bug. Our results show a clear dose-response between trap catch of M. josephi males and E. hebraicus. Conversely, increasing amounts of the Z isomer in the mixture did not affect the attraction of the scale insect males or the bug. The catch of M. josephi males did not differ significantly among traps of different color, and was significantly higher with traps attached to the tree trunk than those suspended between trees. Comparison of the catch of M. josephi among the three forests and between pine species suggests that the level of infestation of Pinus halepepsis and Pinus brutia ssp. brutia is similar, despite the fact that the latter pine is resistant to the scale insect. Both sexes of E. hebraicus were trapped in much lower numbers at the more infested sites. This may be related to interference with the activity of E. hebraicus due to deterioration and drying of parts of the tree crowns and heavy colonization by generalist predators in injured trees.