Search results for " pheromone"

Electrophysiological and Behavioral Responses of Oriental Fruit Moth to the Monoterpenoid Citral Alone and in Combination With Sex Pheromone

2013

The monoterpenoid citral synergized the electroantennogram (EAG) response of male Grapholita molesta (Busck) antennae to its main pheromone compound Z8-12:OAc. The response to a 10-μg pheromone stimulus increased by 32, 45, 54, 71 and 94% with the addition of 0.1, 1, 10, 100 and 1,000 μg of citral, respectively. There was no detectable response to 0.1, 1, or 10 μg of citral; the response to 100 and 1,000 μg of citral was 31 and 79% of the response to 10 μg of Z8-12:OAc. In a flight tunnel, citral affected the mate-seeking behavior of males. There was a 66% reduction in the number of males orientating by flight to a virgin calling female when citral was emitted at 1,000 ng/min ≍1 cm downwind…

Indagini sulla presenza di Prays oleae in oliveti a conduzione biologica della Sicilia occidentale

2011

Investigations on presence of Prays oleae in organic olive orchards of western Sicily. This paper reports a study on the population dynamics of the olive moth, Prays oleae (Bern) (Lep., Plutellidae) in four organic olive orchards in western Sicily (Italy), from 2007 to 2010. The influence of the phytophagous on the fruit drop was detected. Also, the efficacy of treatments with Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki on damage reduction was evaluated. Flight trend was monitored using delta-wing traps (3/ha) containing the sexual pheromone ((Z)-7-tetradecenal), placed in each olive orchard. Traps were hung in the inner zone of the canopy to a height of 1.50 m, and checked weekly from May to 2-3 …

2014

Since the beginning of the last century, the number of biological invasions has continuously increased worldwide. Due to their environmental and economical consequences, invasive species are now a major concern. Social wasps are particularly efficient invaders because of their distinctive biology and behavior. Among them, the yellow-legged hornet, Vespa velutina, is a keen hunter of domestic honeybees. Its recent introduction to Europe may induce important beekeeping, pollination, and biodiversity problems. Hornets use olfactory cues for the long-range detection of food sources, in this case the location of honeybee colonies, but the exact nature of these cues remains unknown. Here, we stud…

Socializing makes thick-skinned individuals: on the density of epidermal alarm substance cells in cyprinid fish, the crucian carp (Carassius carassiu…

2010

Published version of an article in the journal: Journal of Comparative Physiology A: Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology. Also available on SpringerLink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00359-010-0550-4 In cyprinid fish, density of epidermal club cells (i.e. alarm substance cells) has been found to vary between lakes with different predator fauna. Because predators can be labelled with chemical cues from prey, we questioned if club cell density could be controlled indirectly by predators releasing prey cues. In particular, we suspected a possible feedback mechanism between chemical alarm signals and their cellular source. We raised crucian carp singly and in groups of four.…

Mating-induced differential peptidomics of neuropeptides and protein hormones in Agrotis ipsilon moths

2018

International audience; In many insects, mating induces drastic changes in male and female responses to sex pheromones or host-plant odors. In the male moth Agrotis ipsilon, mating induces a transient inhibition of behavioral and neuronal responses to the female sex pheromone. As neuropeptides and peptide hormones regulate most behavioral processes, we hypothesize that they could be involved in this mating-dependent olfactory plasticity. Here we used next-generation RNA sequencing and a combination of liquid chromatography, matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, and direct tissue profiling to analyze the transcriptome and peptidome of diffe…

Pheromones and Chemical Ecology of Dispersal and Foraging in Termites

2010

Pheromones play a crucial role in the ecology of dispersal and foraging in termites. Sex-pairing pheromones possess a double role of long-range attraction to unite sexual partners and a short-range or contact attraction to maintain the pair during the tandem behaviour. Sex-pairing pheromones most often comprise a single compound capable of eliciting both behavioural effects. They appear very conservative in their evolution, and their role in the reproductive isolation of sympatric species greatly varies according to species. Species-specific sex-pairing pheromones consist of different major compounds or of a common major compound with species-specific minor components. Foraging is a collect…

Chemo-orientation responses in hymenopteran parasitoids induced by substrate-borne semiochemicals

2013

Hymenopteran parasitoids can utilize substrate-borne semiochemicals released by conspecifics or by their hosts, increasing the likelihood of successful mating and host location. According to the literature, two substrate-borne chemo-orientation patterns can occur: (1) biased random searching, a non-directional reaction toward the chemicals (kinesis), and (2) trailfollowing searching, a directional response toward the source emitting the chemical compounds (taxis). These two different strategies can be adopted by parasitoids to locate hosts and mates. In host location, random searching is induced by allelochemicals indirectly associated with the host, whereas trail-following behavior is indu…

Chemical and behavioural characterization of the rabbit mammary pheromone.

2003

Mammals owe part of their evolutionary success to the harmonious exchanges of information, energy and immunity between females and their offspring. This functional reciprocity is vital for the survival and normal development of infants, and for the inclusive fitness of parents. It is best seen in the intense exchanges taking place around the mother's offering of, and the infant's quest for, milk. All mammalian females have evolved behavioural and sensory methods of stimulating and guiding their inexperienced newborns to their mammae, whereas newborns have coevolved means to respond to them efficiently. Among these cues, maternal odours have repeatedly been shown to be involved, but the chem…

Evidence for sex pheromones produced by males and females inBlatta orientalis (Dictyoptera, Blattidae).

1993

Males and females ofBlatta orientalis produce a volatile sex pheromone attractive at a distance. The male initiates courtship behavior by adopting a calling posture while emitting his sex pheromone. He exposes the anterior region of his tergites by stretching his abdomen horizontally. Morphological observations show the existence of male tergal glands on the anterior region of tergites 1 to 8. Behavioral assays of females utilizing methylene chloride extracts of various male body parts reveal that extracts of the anterior region of tergites are highly attractive and induce more positive responses that any other body part. Once near the male, the attracted female opens widely her genital atr…

<Pheromones> and behaviour of rodents and primates

1987

Abstract This paper reviews the concept of the ≪pheromone≫ as applied to behavioural studies on mammals with particular emphasis on rodents and primates. It is concluded that although the olfactory sense is very important in many representatives of these orders, the term pheromone is often used too uncritically in such species. Odours may certainly change behaviour but: (a) it is difficult to identify complex specific chemicals underlying such effects; (b) the response often depends on the nature and experiences of the recipient animal; and (c) many behaviours in such animals are modulated by a variety of sensory inputs. Perhaps ≪sociochemical communication≫ would be a better term to apply …