Abstract

Moths of the genus Spodoptera are economically important pest insects. The necessity to develop novel control strategies which may be included in integrated pest management schemes has led to the study of chemical communication in several species within the genus. The polyphagous nature of most Spodoptera species makes it an interesting model to study the way in which different odor profiles are processed and interpreted by the insect brain and how this reflects upon the behavior and ecological interactions which may be of importance in agricultural systems. As such, armyworms have become a model organism in olfactory insect chemical ecology. Here, I attempt to give an overview of what is known about Spodptera chemical ecology to date and present perspectives and directions for future research.

Keywords

Spodoptera; chemical ecology; armyworm

Published in

Introductory Paper at the Faculty of Landscape Planning, Horticulture and Agricultural Science
2013, number: 2013:1, pages:
Publisher: Faculty of Landscape Planning, Horticulture and Agricultural Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Authors' information