Tarbiat Modares University Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology 1680-7073 28 4 2026 07 01 Identification of Iranian Population of Fall Webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Drury) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) 935 950 24105 EN Malahat Mojarab-Mahboubkar Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht 416351314, Islamic Republic of Iran. Jalal Jalali Sendi 1. Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht 416351314, Islamic Republic of Iran. 2. Department of Silk Research, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Islamic Republic of Iran. Nosrat O. Mahmoodi Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Guilan, Rasht, Islamic Republic of Iran. Journal Article 2025 09 16 The fall webworm, <em>Hyphantria cunea</em> (Drury), is a globally invasive polyphagous defoliator, recognized as a destructive pest of both agricultural and non-agricultural plants. This study aimed to identify and characterize sex pheromone compounds in <em>H. cunea</em> as a potential foundation for sustainable pest management. The pheromone glands of <em>H. cunea</em> virgin females were dissected and extracted in hexane, followed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the glandular extracts. Four compounds were identified as putative sex pheromone components: (Z,Z,Z)-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid, (Z,Z)-9,12-octadecadienoic acid methyl ester, (Z)-9-octadecenoic acid methyl ester, and octadecanoic acid methyl ester. The identified compounds represent preliminary candidates for the sex pheromone of the Iranian population of <em>H. cunea</em>, serving as a foundation for pheromone-mediated control strategies. Wind tunnel bioassays demonstrated that a synthetic quaternary blend of the identified compounds, formulated in a 4:2:2:3 ratio, elicited significant attraction in male <em>H. cunea</em>. Field trials corroborated these findings, with the optimized blend effectively luring males under natural conditions. The identification of this attractive sex pheromone blend enables the development of targeted strategies for monitoring and suppressing <em>H. cunea</em> populations, offering a promising tool for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs.<br><br><br> https://jast.modares.ac.ir/article_24105_f5122fce80d998add6cc52c26495e207.pdf