The attractivity of the female sex pheromone ofPeriplaneta americana and its components for conspecific males and males ofPeriplaneta australasiae in the field.

The attractivity of virgin female odors of the American cockroach was examined in field experiments. Crude extracts of the female odor, the isolated sex pheromone fractions, periplanone-A and periplanone-B, and other compounds obtained during the isolation served as stimulants. An extract of male odors, obtained by identical collection methods, was used as a control. Males ofPeriplaneta americana were attracted by the crude extract and periplanone-B; males of the sympatric species,P. Australasiae, by periplanone-A. Experiments in which these components were presented subsequently and as mixtures indicate that, under certain conditions, periplanone-A may also function as an attracting substance forP. americana males and that periplanone-B and possibly some other components act as an inhibitor for males ofP. australasiae.