Semiochemicals inducing defensive behavior of Apis cerana japonica against Vespa mandarina

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S. Matsuyama 1 , T. Suzuki 1 & H. Sasagawa 2

1 Inst. of Applied Biochem., Univ. of Tsukuba, 1-1-1, Ten-nou dai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, JAPAN; 2 Natl. Inst. of Seric. & Entomological Sci. (NISES), 1-2 Oowashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, JAPAN

The Japanese honey bee, Apis cerana japonica Rad. (Acj), is known to perform a unique thermal defense against hornets such as Vespa mandarina (Vm) and V. simillima xanthoptera. The other interesting defensive behaviors of Acj are 1) cessation of foraging and hiding inside the hive and 2) shriving off the forage-site marking pheromone deposited from sternite gland (van der Vecht gland) by the hornet with mandibles. In this study, we tried to identify semiochemicals inducing these defensive behaviors of Acj by using GC/EAD and GC/MS. a) Volatiles from live Vm worker were introduced into Super Q column and washed with ether. GC/MS analyses showed that the volatiles were composed of more than 30 components including hydrocarbons, 2-alkanones, alcohols, and esters. b) By using Acj worker antenna as a sensing element, etheral washings from Super Q were subjected into GC/EAD. At least four compounds elicited reproducible response by Acj antenna. c) From GC/MS analyses, a peak eliciting strongest antennal response was suggested as heptadecene, which was further identified as (Z)-8-heptadecene by GC/MS analysis of DMDS adduct and by GC comparison of geometric isomers. d) Sternite gland extract contained long chain hydrocarbons and fatty acids in the low volatile region. Main component in the high volatile region was (Z)-8-heptadecene. e) (Z)-8-heptadecene, heptadecane, dehydromevalonic lactone were identified in both volatiles from live Vm workers and sternite gland extract. Behavioral studies using natural and synthetic compounds against both Acj and Vm are conducted in order to determine which compound(s) is necessary to induce defensive behavior in Acj, and/or to elicit aggregation of Vm. Index terms: aggregation pheromone, forage-site marking pheromone, sternite gland, kairomone, GC/EAD.


Copyright: The copyrights of this original work belong to the authors (see right-most box in title table). This abstract appeared in Session 4 – CHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGICAL ECOLOGY Symposium and Poster Session, ABSTRACT BOOK II – XXI-International Congress of Entomology, Brazil, August 20-26, 2000.

 

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