In general, female lepidopteran moths use species-specific sex pheromones to lure the conspecific males for successful mating and subsequent reproduction. Lepidopteran sex pheromones are de novo synthesized in the pheromone glands (PGs) from acetyl-CoA through fatty acid biosynthesis followed by desaturation, chain-shortening, fatty acyl reduction and carbonyl carbon modification1. The biosynthesis and release of sex pheromones in moths were first proposed to be controlled by a neuroendocrine factor2. This was late confirmed in Helicoverpa zea in which a neuropeptide, named pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN), was found to regulate the biosynthesis and release of sex pheromone3. PBAN regulates either fatty acyl reduction step or prior to fatty acid biosynthesis (likely acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase) dependent on the moth species45.