Comparison of antennal responses of <i>Ovalisia festiva</i> and <i>Phloeosinus aubei</i> to volatile compounds of their common host, <i>Thuja occidentalis</i>

The cypress jewel beetle, Ovalisia festiva L. (Coleoptera: Buprestidae, Chrysochroinae), and the bark Phloeosinus aubei Perris Curculionidae, Scolytinae), are invasive wood-boring pests of scale-leafed conifers (Cupressaceae), threatening tree nurseries urban green areas. In order to reveal which volatile compounds their common host, American arborvitae, Thuja occidentalis cultivar ‘Smaragd’, they can perceive, we collected headspace volatiles from live attached twigs screened them for bioactivity by gas chromatography coupled an electroantennographic detector (GC-EAD). Compounds eliciting antennal responses were identified mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Synthetic samples bioactive then electroantennography. GC-EAD analyses collections revealed that E–β–caryophyllene elicited only O. (from both sexes), whereas borneol P. aubei. Electroantennography screening synthetic showed further differences between two species. Even many those compounds, species, differed in relative intensities evoked. This indicates probably use different key blend host recognition.