ABSTRACT
Cuticular hydrocarbons were extracted from the surface of boll weevils of different ages, from the day of eclosion through 49 days of age. Gas chromatography revealed 13 components that change in amount with age. The presence of three components, n-nonacosane, 15-&13-methylhentriacontane, and an unidentified compound consisting of 29 carbons with either two or three double bonds, and/or containing a ring moiety, is diagnostic of boll weevils <2 days old. Principal components (PC) analysis produced an eigenvector that explains 66.8% of the variance, and linear regression of principal components (PC) factor scores on age revealed a relationship that may prove useful in estimating the age of field captured boll weevils.
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