Impact of (Z)-7-dodecenol and turbulence on pheromone-mediated flight manoeuvres of male Trichoplusia ni

Summary: Odor plume tracking is important for organisms, particularly flying insects, and this study aims to characterize microscale wind dynamics relevant to insects searching for odor sources. Near-surface wind direction variability decreases with increasing wind speeds and increases in environments with greater surface complexity. There is a strong correlation between wind speed variability and wind direction variability. The findings provide insights for future field research and wind tunnel design for studying plume tracking behavior.

Summary: The European grapevine moth uses (E,Z)-7,9-dodecadienyl acetate as its main sex pheromone component. Research has shown that this doubly unsaturated pheromone component is produced through specific metabolic pathways of fatty acids. Further analysis of the transcriptome and genes involved in the synthesis of sex pheromones revealed multiple candidate genes that may play a role in this process.