| Title: | Insect odour perception: recognition of odour components by flower foraging moths |
| Author(s): | Cunningham JP; Moore CJ; Zalucki MP; Cribb BW; |
| Address: | "School of Biological and Earth Sciences, John Moores University, James Parsons Building, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK. p.cunningham@lijmu.ac.uk" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 0962-8452 (Print) 1471-2954 (Electronic) 0962-8452 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Odours emitted by flowers are complex blends of volatile compounds. These odours are learnt by flower-visiting insect species, improving their recognition of rewarding flowers and thus foraging efficiency. We investigated the flexibility of floral odour learning by testing whether adult moths recognize single compounds common to flowers on which they forage. Dual choice preference tests on Helicoverpa armigera moths allowed free flying moths to forage on one of three flower species; Argyranthemum frutescens (federation daisy), Cajanus cajan (pigeonpea) or Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco). Results showed that, (i) a benzenoid (phenylacetaldehyde) and a monoterpene (linalool) were subsequently recognized after visits to flowers that emitted these volatile constituents, (ii) in a preference test, other monoterpenes in the flowers' odour did not affect the moths' ability to recognize the monoterpene linalool and (iii) relative preferences for two volatiles changed after foraging experience on a single flower species that emitted both volatiles. The importance of using free flying insects and real flowers to understand the mechanisms involved in floral odour learning in nature are discussed in the context of our findings" |
| Keywords: | "Acetaldehyde/analogs & derivatives/chemistry Acyclic Monoterpenes Animals Asteraceae/chemistry Cajanus/chemistry Conditioning, Classical Flowers/*chemistry Food Preferences Monoterpenes/chemistry Moths/*physiology *Recognition, Psychology Smell/*physiolog;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineCunningham, John Paul Moore, Chris J Zalucki, Myron P Cribb, Bronwen W eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2006/07/19 Proc Biol Sci. 2006 Aug 22; 273(1597):2035-40. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2006.3559" |
