| Title: | Male scent-marking pheromone of Bombus ardens ardens (Hymenoptera; Apidae) attracts both conspecific queens and males |
| Author(s): | Kubo R; Harano KI; Ono M; |
| Address: | "Honeybee Science Research Center, Tamagawa University, 6-1-1, Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8610, Japan. kubo@agr.tamagawa.ac.jp. Honeybee Science Research Center, Tamagawa University, 6-1-1, Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8610, Japan. Laboratory of Applied Entomology and Zoology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tamagawa University, 6-1-1, Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8610, Japan" |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s00114-017-1493-1 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1432-1904 (Electronic) 0028-1042 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "To explore the role of the volatiles emitted from male labial gland (LG) of the bumblebee Bombus ardens ardens, we investigated the responses of virgin queens and males to volatiles using a gas chromatography-electroantennographic detector (GC-EAD) system and Y-tube olfactometer. GC-EAD analysis revealed that citronellol, the main compound detected in the male LG, caused clear electrophysiological responses in the antennae of B. a. ardens virgin queens and males although two minor compounds elicited antennal responses when applied in a high concentration. Behavioral tests using a Y-tube olfactometer showed that queens and males were significantly attracted to both LG extracts and citronellol more than to the solvent alone. This is the first study to demonstrate that citronellol as a major compound of male scent-marking pheromone in B. a. ardens functions as a sex attractant for queens. The results also suggest that this compound has another function as a trail marker used by males" |
| Keywords: | "Animals *Bees Chromatography, Gas Female Hymenoptera Male Pheromones Sex Attractants Bumblebee Mating behavior Olfactory cue Sex pheromone;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineKubo, Ryohei Harano, Ken-Ichi Ono, Masato eng Germany 2017/08/09 Naturwissenschaften. 2017 Oct; 104(9-10):69. doi: 10.1007/s00114-017-1493-1. Epub 2017 Aug 7" |
