Levi-Zada, A., Department of Entomology, Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research Organization, Bet-Dagan, Israel
Fefer, D., Department of Entomology, Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research Organization, Bet-Dagan, Israel
Anshelevitch, L., Department of Entomology, Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research Organization, Bet-Dagan, Israel
Litovsky, A., Department of Entomology, Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research Organization, Bet-Dagan, Israel
Bengtsson, M., Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
Gindin, G., Department of Entomology, Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research Organization, Bet-Dagan, Israel
Soroker, V., Department of Entomology, Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research Organization, Bet-Dagan, Israel

The identification of the sex pheromone of the lesser date moth, Batrachedra amydraula (Meyrick) was based on GC-MS analysis of volatiles released by virgin females using sequential SPME auto-sampling of headspace and by synthesis of the key component, (4Z,7Z)-4,7-decadien-1-yl acetate. Substantial capture of males in a date palm plantation using a bait consisting of the key component and 5Z-decen-1-yl acetate in a ratio of 1:2 indicated that these are the essential components of the sex pheromone. Addition of 4Z-decen-1-yl acetate and decan-1-yl acetate, which were also identified, did not affect trap-capture. The lesser date moth is the first member of the Batrachedridae whose sex pheromone has been identified. (4Z,7Z)-4,7-Decadien-1- yl acetate is a novel compound among moth sex pheromones. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.