Abstract

Discrimination between conspecific and heterospecific signals is a key element in the evolution of pheromone-mediated communication in insects. Pheromone antagonists prevent heterospecific attraction. They are typically pheromone synergists in other species and enable specific communication in closely related species, using partly the same chemicals. In codling moth, Cydia pomonella, as in other moths, upwind flights to a pheromone/antagonist blend were slower and more convoluted than to pheromone. However, this deteriorated flight behaviour did not account for the strong decrease in male attraction. The pheromone/antagonist blend blocked instead the onset of upwind flight. This was corroborated by placing a separate source of pheromone close by, which restored male attraction. Males flying upwind did not discriminate between pheromone and the adjacent pheromone/antagonist blend, and landed on either source. This indicates differences in the neural regulation for initiating and maintaining a behavioural response to pheromone

Published in

Naturwissenschaften
2003, Volume: 90, number: 9, pages: 419-423
Publisher: SPRINGER-VERLAG

SLU Authors

• Bengtsson, Marie

  • Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Witzgall, Peter

  • Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Food Science
Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use
Horticulture


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-003-0456-x

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/1643