Journey in the Ostrinia World: From Pest to Model in Chemical Ecology

The European corn borer Ostrinia nubilalis (ECB; Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is a widely recognized pest of agricultural significance over much of the northern hemisphere. Because of the potential value of pheromone-based control, there has been considerable effort devoted to elucidation of the ECB chemical ecology. The species is polymorphic regarding its female-produced pheromone. Partly because of this feature, over the years the ECB has become a model to study pheromone evolution. This review should assist in identifying new areas of pheromone research by providing an overview of the literature produced on this subject for the ECB since the late 1960's.