Labial gland marking secretion in males of two Scandinavian cuckoo bumblebee species (genusPsithyrus)

Summary Chemical components of the cephalic labial gland secretion, which most likely is used as a precopulatory attracting signal, were identified in males of the cuckoo bumblebeesPsithyrus vestalis (Geoffroy) andP. bohemicus (Seidl.) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The former species has geranylcitronellyl acetate as main component, plus in decreasing amounts geranylcitronellol, an eicosadienal, an eicosenol, and an eicosenal. Another 17 fatty acid derivatives are present in minor amounts. The labial secretion ofP. vestalis differs distinctly in its chemistry from that of all of the 8 other ScandinavianPsithyrus species. In the taxonomically closely related (same subgenus)P. bohemicus, the labial gland secretion contains 16 fatty acid derivatives, of which 12 (75%) are present also in the secretion ofP. vestalis. Thus, both the labial gland secretions, and morphological traits lend support to the hypothesis that the two species share a common ancestor. The reproductive isolation between them is, at least in part, supported by the inclusion of a second biosynthetical pathway (the mevalonic acid pathway producing terpenoids) inP. vestalis, in addition to the pathway common to both species (the polyketide pathway producing fatty acid derivatives).     

Sex pheromone components of male <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tirathaba mundella</Emphasis> (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Summary. During peak calling activity by male oil palm bunch moths, Tirathaba mundella Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), their hairpencils, wings or entire body were extracted in hexane. Gas chromatographic-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) analyses of hair pencil extracts revealed four compounds that consistently elicited responses from female antennae. The NMR spectrum of isolated compound 1, and mass spectra and retention indices of compounds 1–4 suggested that they were (3S,6S)-2,2,6-trimethyl-6-vinyl-tetrahydro-pyran-3-ol (1), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-benzaldehyde (2, vanillin), 6,10,14-trimethyl-2-pentadecanone (3), and 6,10,14-trimethyl-2-pentadecanol (4). Comparative GC and GC-MS analyses of hair pencils extract and synthetic standards confirmed these structural assignments. Moreover, comparative chromatography of synthetic and hairpencil-isolated 1 on a Cyclodex-B column (which separated the four stereoisomers with baseline resolution) revealed that male T. mundella produce the SS-stereoisomer (SS-1). In field cage bioassay experiments in Palembang, Indonesia, synthetic SS-1 and vanillin in combination, but not singly, attracted female T. mundella. SS-1 plus vanillin were as effective as male T. mundella in attracting females. Compounds 3 and 4 did not enhance the blend's attractiveness. Received October 11 2002; accepted March 14, 2003. R1D=" Correspondence to: Gerhard Gries, email: gries@sfu.ca     

Sexually differentiated functions of female-produced pheromone of the black chafer <Emphasis Type="Italic">Holotrichia loochooana loochooana</Emphasis> (Sawada) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

Summary. Both male and female Holotrichia loochooana loochooana (Sawada) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) were attracted with female-produced pheromone, anthranilic acid (2-aminobenzoic acid), in the field. Male chafers were observed to apparently directly locate cotton balls impregnated with 1 to 10 mg of pheromone. In contrast, females never directly oriented to the treated balls but landed 0.2-1.5 m away and exposed their abdominal glands in a calling posture, which occasionally resulted in aggregation of both females and males. This suggested the mating aggregation of this species could be primarily induced by pheromone released by females. A hypothesis for adaptability of female aggregation is proposed and discussed.     

Modified pheromone communication associated with insecticidal resistance in the obliquebanded leafroller, Choristoneura rosaceana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Summary. This study reports on the impact of insecticidal resistance on the diel periodicity of the calling behaviour and pheromone production of different-aged virgin females of the obliquebanded leafroller (OBL), Choristoneura rosaceana. While both resistant (R) and susceptible (S) females initiated calling on the first night following emergence, the periodicity of the calling behaviour, as determined by the mean onset time of calling (MOTC) and the mean time spent calling (MTSC) over the first six nights of calling, differed between the two strains. R females started calling significantly later in the night. However, as the MOTC of R females advanced with age but did not do so in S individuals, the difference between strains was more pronounced in younger than older females. Furthermore, R females spent less time calling than S individuals. However, the MTSC increased as a function of age in both R and S females, so the difference between strains remained fairly constant for each night of calling. The major component of OBL sex pheromone, the Z11-14: Ac, determined at peak calling activity, significantly declined with female age. Overall, pheromone production was lower in R females than in S females, with the difference being more pronounced in younger than in older individuals. Thus, resistant females may have a lower mating success. The mating success of both R and S strain males did not vary with the number of previous matings acquired. With regard to males, although there was a significant decline in spermatophore size with successive matings, there was no significant difference between strains. However, R males are smaller and may be disadvantaged through female choice and/or may respond differently to pheromone source compared with S individuals. If the reproductive success of both sexes is affected, this may have a profound influence on the dynamics of insecticidal resistance in the presence or absence of selection in OBL populations. Received 4 July 2001; accepted 19 October 2001.     

Antennal responses of the western pine beetle, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dendroctonus brevicomis</Emphasis> (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), to stem volatiles of its primary host, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus ponderosa</Emphasis>, and nine sympatric nonhost angiosperms and conifers

Summary. Stem volatile extracts from ten trees that are sympatric with the western pine beetle, Dendroctonus brevicomis LeConte (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) were assayed by gas chromatographic-electroantennographic detection analysis (GC-EAD). The extracts were from the primary host, ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws. (Pinaceae); two nonhost angiosperms, California black oak, Quercus kelloggii Newb. (Fagaceae), and quaking aspen, Populus tremuloides Michx. (Salicaceae); and seven nonhost conifers, white fir, Abies concolor (Gord. & Glend.) Lindl. ex Hildebr. (Pinaceae), incense cedar, Calocedrus decurrens (Torr.) Florin (Cupressaceae), Sierra lodgepole pine, P. contorta murrayana Grev. & Balf. (Pinaceae), Jeffrey pine, P. jeffreyi Grev. & Balf. (Pinaceae), sugar pine, P. lambertiana Dougl. (Pinaceae), Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco (Pinaceae), and mountain hemlock, Tsuga mertensiana (Bong.) Carr. (Pinaceae). Sixty-four compounds were identified from the ten trees, 42 of which elicited antennal responses in D. brevicomis, usually in both sexes. In addition, several synthetic compounds, including a number of the antennally-active compounds from the extracted trees and some bark beetle pheromone components, elicited antennal responses in a manner similar to that observed with the extracts. Of the antennally-active compounds known to be present in trees sympatric with D. brevicomis, only geraniol was unique to its host. Four antennally-active compounds were found in the host and in other conifers; five compounds were found only in nonhost conifers; eight compounds were found in either or both of the nonhost angiosperms; eight compounds were found in either or both of the angiosperms and in nonhost conifers, but not in the host; and 19 were found in both the host and in angiosperms and/or nonhost conifers. Several bark beetle pheromone components were found in the stem volatile extracts. Conophthorin was identified from both nonhost angiosperms; exo-brevicomin was identified in A. concolor; verbenone was identified from a number of nonhost conifers; and chalcogran was identified from P. tremuloides. The number of nonhost volatile chemicals that D. brevicomis encounters and is capable of detecting, and the diversity of sources from which they emanate, highlight the complexity of the olfactory environment in which D. brevicomis forages. This provides a basis for further work related to chemically-mediated aspects of foraging in this insect and perhaps other coniferophagous bark beetles, and highlights the need to consider foraging context in the design and implementation of semiochemical-based management tactics for tree protection.     

Sex pheromones and attractants in the Eucosmini and Grapholitini (Lepidoptera,Tortricidae)

Summary The geometric isomers (E,E)-, (E,Z)-, (Z,E)-, and (Z,Z)-8,10-dodecadien-1-yl acetate were identified as sex pheromone components or sex attractants in the tribes Eucosmini and Grapholitini of the tortricid subfamily Olethreutinae. Species belonging to the more ancestral Tortricinae were not attracted. Each one isomer was behaviourally active in males ofCydia andGrapholita (Grapholitini), either as main pheromone compound, attraction synergist or attraction inhibitor. Their reciprocal attractive/antagonistic activity in a number of species enables specific communication with these four compounds.Pammene, as well as otherGrapholita andCydia responded to the monoenic 8- or 10-dodecen-1-yl acetates. Of the tribes Olethreutini and Eucosmini,Hedya, Epiblema, Eucosma, andNotocelia trimaculana were also attracted to 8,10-dodecadien-1-yl acetates, but several otherNotocelia to 10,12-tetradecadien-1-yl acetates. The female sex pheromones ofC. fagiglandana, C. pyrivora, C. splendana, Epiblema foenella andNotocelia roborana were identified. (E,E)- and (E,Z)-8,10-dodecadien-1-yl acetate are producedvia a commonE9 desaturation pathway inC. splendana. CallingC. nigricana andC. fagiglandana females are attracted to wingfanning males.     

Identification of trail pheromone compounds from the labial glands of the stingless bee Geotrigona mombuca

Foragers of several species of stingless bees deposit pheromone spots in the vegetation to guide recruited nestmates to a rich food source. Recent studies have shown that Trigona and Scaptotrigona workers secrete these pheromones from their labial glands. An earlier report stated that species within the genus Geotrigona use citral from their mandibular glands for scent marking. Since convincing experimental proof for this conjecture is lacking, we studied the glandular origin of the trail pheromone of Geotrigona mombuca. In field bioassays, newly recruited bees were diverted by artificial scent trails that branched off from the natural scent trail deposited by their nestmates only when they were baited with extracts from the foragers’ labial glands. Compounds extracted from the mandibular glands, however, did not release trail following behavior. This demonstrates that the trail pheromone of G. mombuca is produced in the labial glands, as in Trigona and Scaptotrigona. Furthermore, in chemical analyses citral was identified exclusively in the foragers’ mandibular glands, which disproves its supposed role as a trail pheromone. The labial glands contained a series of terpene- and wax type esters, with farnesyl butanoate as major constituent. We, therefore, postulate that the trail pheromone of G. mombuca is composed of a blend of esters.     

Trail discrimination signal of Lasius japonicus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Summary. Trail-following behavior of Lasius japonicus was colony-specific in the field, while trail pheromone activity was not. We found that the footprint substance caused colony-specific trail-following behavior only when working in conjunction with the trail pheromone. The footprint substance alone did not lead the workers to follow trails. The substance consisted mainly of hydrocarbons with composition almost identical to that of cuticular hydrocarbons, except for the absence of n-alkanes. Nestmate workers shared footprint hydrocarbon profiles as well as cuticular hydrocarbons, but the profiles differed among colonies. We therefore consider that the footprint hydrocarbon profiles serve as the trail discrimination signal in L. japonicus.     

Recognising one’s enemies: a functional approach to risk assessment by prey

Little has been done to compare the relative importance of various mechanisms through which prey assess the potential risk from natural enemies. We used predator-naive spider mites (Tetranychus urticae, Tetranychidae) to (1) compare the responses of prey to chemical cues from enemy and non-enemy species and (2) investigate the source of these cues. In the laboratory, we observed the distribution of T. urticae in response to cues from nine mite species, including (1) predators of spider mites, (2) predators/parasites of other animals, and (3) fungivores/pollen-feeders. When given a choice over 24 h, spider mites foraged and oviposited in fewer numbers on leaf discs that were previously exposed to predatory or parasitic mites (including species incapable of attacking spider mites) than on clean leaf discs (unexposed to mites). Interestingly, previous exposure of leaf arenas to fungivores and pollen-feeders had no significant effect on spider mite distribution. We then observed the response of T. urticae to cues from two species of predator that had been reared on a diet of either spider mites or pollen. T. urticae showed stronger avoidance of leaf discs that were previously exposed to spider-mite-fed predators than of discs exposed to pollen-fed predators. Nevertheless, for one predator species (Amblyseius andersoni), T. urticae still preferred to forage and oviposit on clean (unexposed) discs than on discs exposed to pollen-fed predators. Protein-derived metabolic wastes of predatory or parasitic mites may provide a general cue about potential predation risk for T. urticae. However, T. urticae also avoided areas exposed to pollen-fed predators, suggesting there may be other sources of enemy recognition by the spider mites. We discuss the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that may influence the scope of information through which animals assess predation risk. Received: 11 January 1999 / Received in revised form: 25 October 1999 / Accepted: 20 November 1999     

Social feeding in ladybird beetles: adaptive significance and mechanism

Summary. Young larvae of Adalia bipunctata search an area more intensively when exposed to the odour from other larvae feeding on aphids than when exposed only to the odour of aphids. In an olfactometer young larvae were significantly attracted either to the odour of crushed aphids or larvae feeding on aphids, but not to that of aphids, larvae, larvae plus aphids or larvae feeding on an artificial diet. That is, the change in searching behaviour appears in response to a volatile released by aphids when attacked. The odour released by crushed aphids is made up entirely of aphid alarm pheromone, β-farnesene. It is likely that the adaptive significance of this response is that it increases the ability of larvae to locate larvae that have already caught prey. By sharing the aphid kill of another larva it is likely that a first instar ladybird larva greatly increases its probability of surviving to the next instar. It is suggested that this social feeding is facilitated by egg clustering, which also may additionally account for why aphidophagous ladybirds lay their eggs in clusters. Received 28 February 2000; accepted 24 March 2000