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Behaviour of male pine sawflies, Neodiprion sertifer , released downwind from pheromone sources

Author

Summary, in English

This study investigated the behaviour of male European pine sawflies, Neodiprion sertifer Geoffroy (Hym., Diprionidae), that were released and observed downwind from pheromone traps baited with 100 mu g of the sex pheromone, (2S,3S,7S)-3,7-dimethyl-2-pentadecyl acetate. Releases were done at three distances; either at 5 m from one trap, or at 50 or 200 m from five traps, placed in a line perpendicular to the current wind direction. As control, males were released identically but without any pheromone source present. The behaviour of the males prior to take-off was studied. A total of 1729 males were released, and 80% of them took flight. Males took off significantly faster in the presence of pheromone. Grooming was significantly more frequent in presence of pheromone compared with control. In all pheromone experiments significantly more males displayed grooming, wing fanning and take-off towards the wind compared with the control. Weather data was simultaneously collected at the study site. Wing fanning was negatively correlated with wind speed. Grooming was not influenced by wind speed. Reduced levels of incoming short-wave radiation lowered the take-off frequency significantly. Pheromone-induced behaviour in diprionids seems to be less distinct than in other insects, e.g., Lepidoptera.

Publishing year

2000

Language

English

Pages

119-128

Publication/Series

Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata

Volume

95

Issue

2

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Wiley

Topic

  • Zoology
  • Physical Geography
  • Biological Sciences

Status

Published

Project

  • Chemical communication in sawflies

Research group

  • Pheromone Group

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1570-7458