Sawflies are sporadic pests of several horticultural crops. Although pheromones have been identified for many pine sawflies of the Diprionidae family, the pheromone of only one species from the Tenthredinidae family had previously been reported. It was proposed that virgin females of the yellowheaded spruce sawfly, Pikonema alaskensis, used unsaturated aldehydes derived by degradation of unsaturated cuticular hydrocarbons as sex pheromone to attract males.

In projects funded by the AHDB, scientists at NRI and NIAB identified novel isopropyl esters of unsaturated fatty acids as components of the sex pheromone produced by female blackcurrant sawfly, Nematus olfaciens. Traps baited with blends of the synthetic compounds proved highly attractive to male blackcurrant sawfly and are a useful tool for monitoring this sporadic pest. In other AHDB-funded work, females of the gooseberry sawfly, Nematus ribesii, were shown to use a similar isopropyl ester of a tri-unsaturated fatty acid as sex pheromone, and use of this for monitoring the pest is currently being explored in the UK, Netherlands and Belgium.

In more recent work funded by the BBSRC, we investigated the pheromone of the apply sawfly, Hoplocampa testudinea. Despite intensive biological and chemical studies, we were unable to establish the existence of any pheromone-based communication in this species or to identify any potential pheromone components. However, this pest is strongly attracted to white traps in the field and these are being used for control of the pest.

The reasons for the differences in the chemical ecology of these closely-related sawflies will be discussed and the consequences for management of the pests will be considered.