| Title: | Biosecurity Dogs Detect Live Insects after Training with Odor-Proxy Training Aids: Scent Extract and Dead Specimens |
| Author(s): | Moser AY; Brown WY; Bizo LA; Andrew NR; Taylor MK; |
| Address: | "Canine and Equine Research Group, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia. School of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia. Insect Ecology Lab, Zoology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia. Chemistry, School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1464-3553 (Electronic) 0379-864X (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Detector dogs could be trained to find invasive insect pests at borders before they establish in new areas. However, without access to the live insects themselves, odor training aids are needed to condition dogs to their scent. This proof-of-concept study assessed 2 potential training aids for insect detection: a scent extract and dead specimens of the target species. Using Musgraveia sulciventris (Hemiptera: Tessaratomidae) as an experimental model, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses were carried out to compare the chemical headspaces that make up the odors of live specimens and these 2 training aids. This was then followed by canine scent-detection testing to investigate biosecurity detector dogs' (n = 4) responses to training in an ecologically valid context. Both the scent extract and the dead specimens shared the majority of their volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with live insects. Of the dogs trained with scent extract (n = 2), both were able to detect the live insects accurately, and of those trained with dead specimens (n = 2), one detected the live insects accurately. These findings lend support for these training aids as odor-proxies for live insects-particularly scent extract, which is a relatively novel product with the potential for broad application to facilitate and improve insect-detection training" |
| Keywords: | Animals Dogs Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Hemiptera Odorants/*analysis *Smell Volatile Organic Compounds/*analysis Working Dogs/*physiology Halyomorpha halys brown marmorated stink bug canine scent detection invasive insect solvent extract volatil; |
| Notes: | "MedlineMoser, Ariella Y Brown, Wendy Y Bizo, Lewis A Andrew, Nigel R Taylor, Michelle K eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2020/01/11 Chem Senses. 2020 Apr 17; 45(3):179-186. doi: 10.1093/chemse/bjaa001" |
