Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Insect Trail Pheromones: A Perspective of Progress

  • Chapter
Chromatography and Isolation of Insect Hormones and Pheromones

Part of the book series: Chromatographic Society Symposium Series ((CSSS))

Summary

A comparative description is given of the purpose and glandular source of odour trails in the three insect orders in which trail-following phenomena have been recognized, Isoptera, Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera. The different types of bioassay and the chromatographic methods which together are required for isolation are outlined. Examples are given of the chemical structures of trail pheromones from the three orders, with attention to the non-specific nature of some pheromones active across a range of species and an example of species-specificity in Tetramorium ants. Examples of structure-activity relationships are given. Trail pheromones may vary from simple single compounds to complex mixtures containing recruitment and orientation components.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. C. Bonnet, Observation LXIII. Sur un procédé des fourmis, Oeuvres d’Histoire Naturelle et de Philosophic., 1:535–536(1779).

    Google Scholar 

  2. B. Hölldobler, Recruitment behaviour in Camponotus socius (Hym. Formicidae), Zeitschrift für vergleichende Physiologie, 75:123–142 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  3. E. O. Wilson, “The Insect Societies”, Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass., pp 258–260 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  4. J. M. Pasteeis, Polyéthisime chez les ouvrier de Nasutitermes lujae (Termitidae Isotoperes), Biologica Gabonica, 1:191–205 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  5. A. M. Stuart, Social behaviour and communication, in: “Biology of Termites”, K. Krishna and F. M. Weesner, eds., Academic Press, New York, Vol. 1, pp 193–232 (1969).

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  6. T. D. Fitzgerald, Trail marking by larvae of the eastern tent caterpillar, Science, 194:961–963(1976).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. S. C. Peterson, Chemical trail marking and following by caterpillars of Malacosoma neusfria, J. Chem Ecol., 14:815–824 (1988).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. D. K. McLain, Terrestrial trail-following by three species of predatory stink bug, Florida Entomologist, 62:152–154 (1979).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. B. G. Svenson and G. Bergström, Volatile marking secretions from the labial glands of North European Pyrobombus D. T. males (Hymenoptera, Apidae), Insectes Sociaux, 24:213–224(1980).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. G. Bergström, Chemical aspects of insect exocrine signals as a means for systematic and phylogenetic discussions in aculeate Hymenoptera, Entomol Scand., Supp. 15:173–184(1981).

    Google Scholar 

  11. M. Lindauer and W. E. Kerr, Communication between workers of stingless bees, Bee World, 41:29–41 (1960).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. M. Lindauer and W. E. Kerr, Communication between workers of stingless bees, Bee World, 41:65–71 (1960).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. M. S. Blum, R. M. Crewe, W. E. Kerr, L. H. Keith, A. W. Garrison and M. M. Walker, Citral in stingless bees: isolation and functions in trail-laying and robbing, J.Insect Physiol., 16:1637–1648(1970).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. C. G. Butler, D. J. C. Fletcher and D. Watler, Nest entrance marking with pheromones by the honey bee Apis mellifera L., and by a wasp, Vespula vulgaris L., Animal Behaviour, 17:142–147(1969).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. A. B. Attygalle and E. D. Morgan, Ant trail pheromones, Advances in Insect Physiol., 18:1–30(1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. E. O. Wilson, Source and possible nature of the odor trail of fire ants, Science, 129:643–644(1959).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. D. Crump, R. M. Silverstein, H. J. Williams and T. D. Fitzgerald, Identification of trail pheromone of larva of eastern tent caterpillar Malacosana americanum (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae), J. Chem Ecol., 3:397–402 (1987).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. B. Hölldobler, Trail communication in the dacetine ant Orectognathus versicolor (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Psyche, 88:245–257 (1981).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. J. M. Pasteeis and J. C. Verhaeghe, Dosage biologique de la phèromone de piste chez les fourrageuses et les reines de Myrmica rubra, Insectes Sociaux, 21:167–180 (1974).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. F. J. Ritter, I. E. M. Brüggemann-Rotgans, P. E. J. Verwiel, E. Taiman, F. Stein, J. La Brijn and C. J. Persoons, Faranal, a trail pheromone from the Dufour’s gland of the pharaoh’s ant, structurally related to juvenile hormone, Proceedings of the Eighth International Congress of the International Union for the Study of Social Insects, Pudoc, Wageningen, pp 41–43 (1977).

    Google Scholar 

  21. J. F. A. Traniello, Colony specificity in the trail pheromone of an ant, Naturwissenschaften, 67:361–362 (1980).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. R. K. Vander Meer, F. D. Williams and C.S. Lofgren, Hydrocarbon components of the trail pheromone of the red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta, Tet Lett., 22:1651–1654(1981).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. B. P. Moore, Isolation of the scent-trail pheromone of an Australian termite, Nature, London, 211:746–747 (1966).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. M. C. Cammaerts-Tricot, E. D. Morgan and R. C. Tyler, Isolation of the trail pheromone of the ant Myrmica rubra, J. Insect Physiol., 23:511–515 (1977).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. A. B. Attygalle and E. D. Morgan, Identification of trail pheromone of the ant Tetramorium caespitum L. (Hymenoptera: Myrmicinae), J. Chem. Ecol., 10:1453–1468 (1984).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. R. P. Evershed, E. D. Morgan and M. C. Cammaerts, 3-Ethyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine, the trail pheromone from the venom gland of eight species of Myrmica ants, Insect Biochem., 12:383–391 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. R. P. Evershed, E. D. Morgan and M. C. Cammaerts, Identification of the trail pheromone of the ant Myrmica rubra L. and related species, Naturwissenschaften, 67:374–376(1981).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. E. D. Morgan and L. J. Wadhams, Gas chromatography of volatile compounds in small samples of biological materials, J. Chromatographic Sci., 10:528–529 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. A. B. Attygalle and E. D. Morgan, Pheromones in nanogram quantities: structure determination by combined microchemical and gas chromatographic methods, Angew. Chem, Int Ed. (Eng), 27:460–478 (1988).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. P. G. McDowell and G. W. Oloo, Isolation, identification and biological activity of trail-following pheromone of termite Trinervitermes bettoniacus (Sjostedt) (Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae), J. Chem Ecol., 10:835–851 (1984).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. P. Karlson, M. Lüscher and H. Hummel, Extraction und biologische Auswertung des Spürpheromons der Termite Zootermopsis nevadensis, J. Insect Physiol., 14:1763–1771 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. F. Matsumura, H. C. Coppel and A. Tai, Isolation and identification of termite trail-following pheromone, Nature, London, 219:963–964 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. R. Howard, F. Matsurnura and H. C. Coppel, Trail following pheromones of the Rhinotermitidae: approaches to their authentication and specificity, J. Chem. Ecol., 2:147–166(1976).

    Google Scholar 

  34. G. D. Prestwich, Chemical systematics of termite exocrine secretions, Ann. Rev. of Ecology & Systematics, 14:287–301 (1983).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. J. H. Tumlinson, R M. Silverstein, J. C. Moser, R. G. Brownlee and J. M. Ruth, Identification of the trail pheromone of a leaf-cutting ant Atta texana, Nature, London, 234:348–349(1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. J. H. Cross, R. C. Byler, U. Ravid, R M. Silverstein, S. W. Robinson, P. M. Baker, J. S. de Oliveira, A. R. Jutsum and J. M. Cherrett, The major component of the trail pheromone of the leaf cutting ant Atta sexdens rubropilosa Forel: 3-Ethyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine, J. Chem. Ecol., 5:187–204 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. R. P. Evershed and E. D. Morgan, The amounts of trail pheromone substances in the venom of workers of four species of Attine ants, Insect Biochem., 13:469–474 (1983).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. B. D. Jackson, E. D. Morgan and C. A. Collingwood, The chemical secretions of Myrmica specioides Bondroit and Myrmica gallieni Bondroit (Myrmicinae), Actes des Colloques Insectes Sociaux, 5:307–313 (1989a).

    Google Scholar 

  39. A. B. Attygalle, M. C. Cammaerts, R. Cammaerts, E. D. Morgan and D. G. Ollett, Chemical and ethological studies of the trail pheromone of the ant Manica rubida (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Physiol. Entomol., 11:125–132 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. A. B. Attygalle and E. D. Morgan, Trail pheromone of the ant Tetramorium caespitum L., Naturwissenschaften, 70:364 (1983).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. E. D. Morgan and D. G. Ollett, Methyl 6-methylsalicylate, trail pheromone of the ant Tetramorium impurum (Formicidae: Myrmicinae), Naturwissenschaften, 74:596–597(1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. P. E. Sonnet and J. C. Moser, Trail pheromone: response of the Texas leaf-cutting ant, Atta texana to selected halo- and cyanopyrrole-2-aldehydes, ketones and esters, Environmental Entomol., 2:851–854 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. E. D. Morgan, B. D. Jackson and G. W. Sales, Trail pheromone of the ant Tetramorium impurum and model compounds: structure-activity comparisons, submitted (1990).

    Google Scholar 

  44. R. K. Vander Meer, F. Alvarez and C.S. Lofgren, Isolation of the trail recruitment pheromone of Solenopsis invicta, J. Chem. Ecol., 14:825–838 (1988).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. A. B. Attygalle, O. Vostrowsky, H. J. Bestmann, S. Steghaus-Kovac and U. Maschwitz, (3R, 4S)-4-Methyl-3-heptanol, the trail pheromone of the ant Leptogenus diminuta, Naturwissenschaften, 75:315–317 (1988).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. M. F. Ali, E. D. Morgan, C. Detrain and A. B. Attygalle, Identification of a component of the trail pheromone of the ant Pheidole pallidula (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Physiol. Entomol., 13:257–265 (1988).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. B. D. Jackson, P. J. Wright and E. D. Morgan, 3-Ethyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine, a component of the trail pheromone of the ant Messor bouvieri, Experientia, 45:487–489 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. D. J. C. Fletcher and J. M. Brand, Source of the trail pheromone and method of trail laying in the ant Crematogaster peringueyi J. Insect Physiol, 14:783–788 (1968).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. R. H. Leuthold, A tibial gland scent-trail and traillaying behaviour in the ant Crematogaster ashmeadi Mayr, Psyche., 75:233–248 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. J. F. A. Traniello, Colony specificity in the trail pheromone of an ant, Naturwissenschaften, 67:361–362 (1980).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. K. Jessen and U. Maschwitz, Orientation and recruitment behaviour in the ponerme ant Pachycondyla tesserinoda (Emery): laying of individual-specific trails during tandem running, Behavioural Ecol. and Sociobiol., 19:151–155(1986).

    Google Scholar 

  52. U. Maschwitz, S. Lenz and A. Buschinger, Individual specific trails in the ant Leptothorax affinis (Formicidae: Myrmicinae), Experientia, 42:1173–1174 (1986).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. E. O. Wilson, Trail sharing in ants, Psyche., 72:1–7 (1965).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Keele, Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK

    E. David Morgan

Authors
  1. E. David Morgan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Reading, Reading, UK

    A. R. McCaffery

  2. ICI Pharmaceuticals, Macclesfield, Cheshire, UK

    I. D. Wilson

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1990 Plenum Press, New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Morgan, E.D. (1990). Insect Trail Pheromones: A Perspective of Progress. In: McCaffery, A.R., Wilson, I.D. (eds) Chromatography and Isolation of Insect Hormones and Pheromones. Chromatographic Society Symposium Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-8062-7_25

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-8062-7_25

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-8064-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-8062-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation