The trienoic and tetraenoic polyenes, (3 Z,6 Z,9 Z)-3,6,9-nonadecatriene, (3 Z,6 Z,9 Z)-3,6,9-henicosatriene, and (3 Z,6 Z,9 Z)-1,3,6,9-henicosatetraene were found in the abdominal cuticle and pheromone gland of the winter moth Operophtera brumata L. (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), in addition to the previously identified single component sex pheromone (3 Z,6 Z,9 Z)-1,3,6,9-nonadecatetraene. The pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN) is involved in the regulation of polyene transport from abdominal cuticle to the pheromone gland. In vivo deuterium labeling experiments showed that (11 Z,14 Z,17 Z)-11,14,17-icosatrienoic acid, the malonate elongation product of linolenic acid, (9 Z,12 Z,15 Z)-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid, is used to produce (3 Z,6 Z,9 Z)-3,6,9-nonadecatriene and (3 Z,6 Z,9 Z)-1,3,6,9-nonadecatetraene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]