ABSTRACT
Pheromones that are at least as attractive as the virgin females have been identified and synthesized for all of the species except for the cotton leafperforator and the tobacco hornworm. Attention will be directed primarily toward the tobacco budworm and pink bollworm because our experience with these species, as it relates to behavior and pheromones has been more extensive. This chapter suggests that at an early stage direct field observations of effects of pheromone on insect behavior that culminate in mating are essential to the rapid development of a sound insect control program. The performance of pheromones or pheromone analogues as mating disruptants should be assessed relative to the sexual status and size of the population at the time of investigation. Plainly then, the sexual status of a population will affect the performance of applied mating disruptants and such evaluation methods as male capture in pheromone traps.
