The response of adult Araecerus fasciculatus (Deg.) (coffee bean weevil) to volatile stimuli was tested in a closed dual choice pitfall bioassay system, investigating the occurrence of pheromones. A. fasciculatus was reared in green coffee beans (Coffea arabica cv. Mundo Novo), with a moisture content of 12%, in a environmental room at 27±2°C, 90±5% RH, and 12 h photophase. The source of attraction were newly emerged adults plus a coffee bean. Test insects were virgin adults, separated by sex on the day of emergence and kept for 1 to 10 d. A. fasciculatus female did not attract virgin adults. Males attracted both sexes; 3 d old or more showed significant attraction to 3 or more days old females and 5 or more days old males. Sixty-seven to 97% of the responding females, and 62 to 74% of the responding males were attracted to the volatiles of the males. Results indicated the occurrence of a male produced aggregation pheromone.
Insecta; stored product pests
