The beetle Amerrhinus ynca Sahlberg, 1823 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) causes damage to several species of the Arecaceae family. The larvae of this palm weevil damage palm trees by causing perforations in the leaf rachis, obstructing the flow of nutrients to the plant. To date, are no registered insecticides for the control of A. ynca. An efficient control strategy would be the use of synthetic pheromones of this beetle for integrated pest management tactics. In this work, the aggregation pheromone of A. ynca was identified from adults collected as larvae and pupae from the rachis of coconut palm. The volatile compounds produced by A. ynca were collected via headspace aeration of adult beetles, and the identification of the pheromone was performed with gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS), GC-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (GC-FTIR) and GC-electroantenographic detector (GC-EAD). Dual-choice olfactometry experiments were performed to evaluate the bioactivity of the synthetic pheromone. GC analyses showed the presence of a male-specific compound that was identified as octadecanal. In GC-EAD analyses, synthetic octadecanal elicited responses of A. ynca female antennae. Behavioral bioassays showed attractiveness of synthetic compound for males and females, indicating octadecanal as the aggregation pheromone of A. ynca.

Chauliognathus fallax Germar 1824 (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) occurs in North and South America and Australia. Gas chromatographic (GC) analyses of volatiles released by adults showed the presence of a male specific compound. GC coupled with electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) showed that this compound is exclusively bioactive on female antennae, suggesting it to be a sex pheromone. GC coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (GC-FTIR), as well as dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) derivatization and hydrogenation, suggested the target compound to be (Z)-tricos-11-ene. Unambiguous structural proof was achieved by independent synthesis, whereas the biological significance of the compound as a sex pheromone was confirmed by field bioassays.

The dorsal abdominal glands (DAGs) contents in nymphs and the metathoracic glands (MTG) in adult males and females (10, 20 and 30 days old) were characterized and quantified for Loxa deducta and Pellaea stictica. The major component for nymphs and adults was tridecane, with lesser amounts of other aliphatic hydrocarbons, aldehydes, oxo-alkenals and esters. The five nymphal instars showed significant differences in compounds proportion. No significant differences was detected in MTG components proportion between sexes. However (E)-2-hexenal and (E)-2-decenyl acetate was significantly lower in adults from 10 to 20 days.

O conteúdo das glândulas abdominais dorsais em ninfas e das glândulas metatorácicas em machos e fêmeas (10, 20 e 30 dias de idade adulta) foi caracterizado e quantificado para o percevejo Pallantia macunaima. O principal componente encontrado nas ninfas e adultos foi o tridecano, com menores quantidades de outros hidrocarbonetos alifáticos, aldeídos, oxo-alcenais e ésteres. Os cinco ínstares apresentaram diferenças significativas nas proporções dos compostos encontrados, principalmente entre aqueles do primeiro ínstar em relação aos demais ínstares. Nenhuma diferença significativa foi detectada na proporção dos compostos das glândulas metatorácicas entre os machos e fêmeas, porém, entre indivíduos de diferentes idades, (E)-2-hexenal e acetato de (E)-2-decenila diminuiram significativamente de 10 para 20 dias de idade.

The contents of the dorsal abdominal glands in nymphs and the metathoracic glands in adult males and females (10, 20 and 30 days old) were characterized and quantified for the stink bug, Pallantia macunaima. The major component for nymphs and adults was tridecane, with lesser amounts of other aliphatic hydrocarbons, aldehydes, oxo-alkenals and esters. The five nymphal instars showed significant differences in the proportions of compounds present, mainly between those of the first instar compared to the dorsal abdominal glands components of later instars. No significant differences were detected in the proportion of metathoracic gland components between the sexes but, between individuals of different ages, (E)-2-hexenal and (E)-2-decenyl acetate significantly decreased in adults from 10 to 20 days of age.