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Member Symposium

Plant-Insect Ecosystems

Applied Use of Chemical Ecology in Integrated Pest Management

Identification of the male hibiscus bud weevil, Anthonomus testaceosquamosus, aggregation pheromone

Sunday, November 9, 2025
12:00 PM - 12:15 PM Pacific
Location: Oregon Convention Center, D136, OCC
Oral Presentation
The hibiscus bud weevil (HBW), Anthonomus testaceosquamosus, is a significant pest of tropical hibiscus that invaded Florida in 2017. As a regulated pest, early detection of HBW is crucial, but no commercial pheromone lures are currently available. To address this, we investigated the HBW's aggregation pheromone system. In Y-tube bioassays, female HBW were attracted to groups of 10 male HBW, but not to female HBW. Volatile collections from aggregating males and females led to the identification of four male-specific compounds:


  1. 2-(1-methylethenyl)-5-methyl-4-hexen-1-ol (lavandulol)

  2. (Z)-2-isopropenyl-1-methylcyclobutaneethanol (grandlure I)

  3. (Z)-2-(3,3-dimethyl)-cyclohexylideneethanol (grandlure II)

  4. (Z)-(3,3-dimethyl)-cyclohexylideneacetaldehyde (grandlure III)


Electroantennography (EAG) studies showed that both male and female antennae responded similarly to varying doses (1µg, 10µg, 100µg, and 1mg) of grandlure I, II, and a mixture of III/IV. However, female antennae were more sensitive to lavandulol at 100µg and 1mg. These findings are important for developing pheromone lures for HBW as part of an early detection monitoring system.