Article
Environmental Sciences
Wolfgang Schuehly, Ulrike Riessberger-Galle, Javier Hernandez Lopez
Summary: The study found that bee larvae exposed to pesticides show reduced brood production and a high number of empty brood cells, along with increased numbers of oenocytes. These larvae also display altered CHC profiles and are actively removed by nurse bees via chemical cues.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Saad Naser AL-Kahtani, Kaspar Bienefeld
Summary: Nepotism is not a significant factor in the selection of queen larvae in honeybee colonies, but larvae from heavier eggs are preferred for queen rearing. While there are some indications that queens from heavier eggs may have advantages in reproductive success, the data are not sufficient to draw a significant conclusion.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Andre Rodrigues de Souza, Wilson Franca, Amanda Prato, Markus J. Rantala, Fabio Santos do Nascimento
Summary: Social wasps can recognize the immunological status of conspecifics through chemical cues and adjust their behavior to minimize infection risk. Activation of the immune system leads to changes in body surface compounds, which allow wasps to identify wounded individuals and avoid physical contact with them, reducing the risk of parasite transmission.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Tarli E. Conroy, Luke Holman
Summary: The study shows that immune-challenged honey bees tend to voluntarily leave the hive, while healthy worker bees also actively evict immune-stimulated bees, possibly to limit the spread of pathogens within the colony. Through chemical signals, bees are able to identify and banish sick individuals, demonstrating a form of social immunity in action.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Xiaoyu Wu, Su Wang, Xianguo Zhao, Jing Wen, Yahong Li, Zhangwu Zhao, Juan Du
Summary: Research shows that the pheromonal state of individual fruit flies can affect themselves, and cuticular hydrocarbons have a regulatory effect on the amount of sleep experienced by fruit flies.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jiri Kubasek, Karolina Svobodova, Frantisek Puta, Alena Bruce Krejci
Summary: Some bee species use wax to build their nests, and the developing brood can breathe and develop properly through microscopic pores in the wax, while honey cappings are nearly impermeable to protect honey from fermenting.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wei Dong, Wen-Jun Wu, Chen-Yang Song, Ting Li, Jian-Zhen Zhang
Summary: The effects of Jinggangmycin (JGM) on the physiological parameters of Drosophila melanogaster were investigated in this study. The results showed that exposure to 0.005 g/ml JGM increased female daily egg production and extended the oviposition period, while there was no significant effect on reproduction at 0.016 g/ml. Flies fed 0.005 g/ml JGM exhibited increased desiccation tolerance. The upregulated expression of FAS1 and FAS3, as well as the accumulation of CHCs on the cuticle surface, were observed in JGM treated flies at 0.005 g/ml. Moreover, knockdown of FAS3 decreased desiccation tolerance in JGM-treated flies.
PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Jeremy S. Davis, Matthew J. Pearcy, Joanne Y. Yew, Leonie C. Moyle
Summary: Rapid evolution of sensory signals may contribute to reproductive isolation between species, as demonstrated in Drosophila americana and D. novamexicana populations where sexual isolation is driven by divergence in chemical signals, particularly cuticular hydrocarbons. Differences in courtship efficiency and CHC profiles, mainly based on compound carbon chain-length, play a key role in sexual isolation, with a specific gene expression pattern potentially contributing to these differences.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Jeremy S. Davis, Matthew J. Pearcy, Joanne Y. Yew, Leonie C. Moyle
Summary: The study demonstrates sexual isolation due to divergence in chemical signals and dissects its underlying phenotypic and genetic mechanisms. Strong sexual isolation was found between D. novamexicana males and SC D. americana females, with more moderate bi-directional isolation between D. americana populations. The data suggest an evolutionary model for the origin and spread of this allele and its consequences for CHC divergence and sexual isolation.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sylvie P. Vandenabeele, Thomas Schmitt
Summary: Research has shown that visual cues alone cannot fully explain the ability of solitary bees and wasps to locate their nests. Olfaction is also important in nest recognition. Chemical analysis of nest entrances and their occupants revealed a close match in the identified chemicals. Removal of these chemicals elicited a clear behavioral response in bees. This highlights the significance of olfactory cues in complementing visual orientation for precise homing in solitary species.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Konrad Sebastian Frahnert, Karsten Seidelmann
Summary: Osmia cornuta is a solitary mason bee that utilizes natural existing cavities for nest construction, with females using a combination of visual and olfactory cues to recognize their own nest. The scent tags used by the bees are a mixture of body-derived substances enriched by external components, allowing for distinguishable but not perfectly matched individual odor bouquets. These scent tags, dominated by alkanes and alkenes, provide information not only on nest occupancy but also on species affiliation and constitution of the nest owner.
Article
Ecology
Antonio Serrato-Capuchina, Timothy D. Schwochert, Stephania Zhang, Baylee Roy, David Peede, Caleigh Koppelman, Daniel R. Matute
Summary: Introgression, the exchange of alleles between species through fertile hybrids, is a common event in nature. This study shows that F1 hybrids between two species pairs of Drosophila have reduced sexual attractiveness and are strongly discriminated against by pure species. The cuticular hydrocarbon profile of female hybrids is intermediate between the parental species and modifying it to resemble pure species improves their mating chances.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yucui Xin, Nan Chen, Yawei Wang, Ruoyao Ni, Hongrui Zhao, Peiqi Yang, Mei Li, Xinghui Qiu
Summary: In this study, the roles of five CYP4G genes in CHC biosynthesis in cotton bollworms were investigated. The findings indicate that CYP4G8 plays an essential role in CHC biosynthesis, while the functions of the other four CYP4G genes remain unclear. Knocking out CYP4G8 affected global gene expression in larvae, especially down-regulating genes in the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway.
INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dan-Ting Li, Xiao-Jin Pei, Yu-Xuan Ye, Xin-Qiu Wang, Zhe-Chao Wang, Nan Chen, Tong-Xian Liu, Yong-Liang Fan, Chuan-Xi Zhang
Summary: The study investigated the variation in CHC profiles of important rice pests in Asia, revealing differences among species and changes with developmental stages, sexes, temperature, humidity, and host plants. Genes involved in cuticular lipid biosynthesis pathways were found to be modulated, which may explain the variations in CHC profiles among species in different environments. The research highlights the biological and ecological variations in modifying CHC profiles and the molecular regulation mechanisms of planthoppers, providing valuable insights for pest ecology and novel pest management strategies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Marti Wittke, Lucas Baumgart, Florian Menzel
Summary: Organismal traits may experience conflicting selection pressures when fulfilling different functions simultaneously. In insects, the cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) layer is an important multifunctional trait. Acclimation affects nestmate recognition and inter-individual aggression among ants by influencing CHC composition. However, there is some degree of functional separation among CHC classes, and the role of each CHC is idiosyncratic. The need to maintain a certain phase behaviour of the CHC layer might be the main constraint for insects in optimizing all CHC functions independently.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)