The sex pheromone of Stathmopoda auriferella (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Stathmopodidae), an important pest of kiwifruit in Korea, was studied. Two candidate pheromone components detected in the gland extracts of females were identified as (E)-5-hexadecenyl acetate (E5-16:OAc) and (E)-5-hexadecenol (E5-16:OH) in a ratio of 75:25 by mass spectral analysis of natural pheromone components and dimethyldisulfide adducts, and retention index comparisons with synthetic standards. In the kiwifruit orchards, E5-16:OAc alone was attractive to S. auriferella males and caught significantly more males than live virgin females. However, addition of E5-16:OH strongly inhibited attraction to E5-16:OAc. These results suggest that the major component of the female-produced sex pheromone of S. auriferella is E5-16:OAc. This hexadecenyl acetate is a novel moth sex pheromone component.