Semiochemicals inducing
defensive behavior of Apis cerana japonica against
Vespa mandarina
Copyright
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.