Kairomonal attraction of predatory bugs (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) and brown lacewings (Neuroptera: Hemerobiidae) to sex pheromones of Matsucoccus species (Hemiptera: Matsucoccidae)

The kairomonal response of potential predators of pine bast scales Matsucoccus Cockerell was investigated using traps baited with female sex pheromones of Matsucoccus josephi Bodenheimer and Harpaz, Matsucoccus feytaudi Ducasse, and Matsucoccus matsumurae Kuwana. In addition to the attraction of conspecific males and a weak cross attraction of congener ones, two guilds of predators were attracted: flower bugs of the genus Elatophilus Reuter and brown lacewings of the genera Hemerobius L. and Sympherobius Banks. Elatophilus hebraicus Pericart, Elatophilus nigricornis Zetterstedt, Elatophilus crassicornis Reuter, Hemerobius stigma Stephens, and Sympherobius fuscescens (Wallengern) were captured in the West Palearctic region, whereas Elatophilus inimica Drake & Harris, H. stigma, and Hemerobius stigmaterus Fitch were captured in the US. E. hebraicus alone was attracted to all three pheromones, while all other species responded to one or two of the them. The Matsucoccus pheromones are ketones, sharing a common chiral ketodiene moiety. The capture pattern of both predator guilds points to a general mode of kairomonal response with some specificity due to differences in the second side chain of these pheromones. Our findings suggest that further application of Matsucoccus pheromone traps may reveal additional predators which could be used as biological control agents of the noxious pine bast scale species.