Repellency of hinokitiol against the cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Anobiidae)

Abstract

Behavioral responses of the cigarette beetle to 73 chemicals were investigated with an olfactometer. The beetles were strongly repelled by hinokitiol (β-thujaplicine). The frequency of entering choice tubes treated with hinokitiol was significantly less than that of the control tubes. The resident time in the sample tubes was shorter than that in the control tubes. The repellency of hinokitiol in the presence of cured tobacco odor, which attracts beetles, was evaluated. Hinokitiol strongly repelled the beetles at a dose of 1 mg even in the presence of the tobacco odor. However, the contact and fumigant toxicity of hinokitiol against the beetles was not strong. The repellency of other troponoid compounds, tropone and tropolone, and other compounds with isopropyl groups were weaker than hinokitiol. Therefore, it appears both the tropone ring and isopropyl group play an important role in the strong repellency of hinokitiol.