Inhibition of sexual response in males of the moth Argyrotaenia velutinana by brief exposures to synthetic pheromone or its geometrical isomer

When cis-11-tetradecenyl acetate (RiBLuRe) and its geometrical isomer, trans-11-tetradecenyl acetate were simultaneously presented to male red-banded leaf roller moths their response was significantly lower than that to an equal quantity of RiBLuRe alone. When the males were exposed to RiBLuRe for a duration of 10 min at times up to 60 min before bioassay there was a complete absence of response to RiBLuRe at the time of bioassay. Similar exposure to an equal quantity of the trans-isomer before bioassay resulted in significant reduction of the response to RiBLuRe at the subsequent bioassay but without complete inhibition.