title: Females of the bumblebee parasite, Aphomia sociella, excite males using a courtship pheromone.
abstract: Aphomia sociella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Galleriinae) is a parasitic moth of bumblebees. Behavioral experiments show that A. sociella females emit semiochemicals that influence male pre-mating behavior and serve as a courtship pheromone. GC/EAD and two-dimensional GC/MS (GCxGC-TOFMS) analyses of extracts of females revealed three antennally active compounds. Comparative GC and GCxGC-TOFMS analyses of extracts and synthetic standards confirmed the identity of the antennally active compounds as hexan-1-ol (1), 6,10,14-trimethylpentadecan-2-one (2), and 6,10,14-trimethylpentadecan-2-ol (3). In laboratory bioassays, alcohol 3 and, at higher doses, ketone 2 initiated male courtship behavior associated with ultrasonic production. Hexan-1-ol (1) and ketone 2 enhanced the activity of alcohol 3. These data suggest that hexan-1-ol, 6,10,14-trimethylpentadecan-2-ol, and 6,10,14-trimethylpentadecan-2-one constitute the female-produced courtship pheromone of A. sociella.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Flemingovo nám. 2, 166 10, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jiří
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kindl
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jiroš
authors.forename: Blanka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kalinová
authors.forename: Petr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Záček
authors.forename: Irena
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Valterová
mesh_terms: D000819:Animal Communication; D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000469:parasitology*; D003380:Courtship; D005260:Female; D007915:Lepidoptera / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D012724:Sex Attractants; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds