Abstract
Our objective was to identify the semiochemicals that mediate attraction of the webbing clothes moth (WCM), Tineola bisselliella (Lepidoptera: Tineidae), to suitable larval habitat. Coupled gas chromatographic-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) analyses of Porapak Q-captured bioactive volatiles from horseshoe crab, and dried but untanned vertebrate pelts revealed numerous EAD-active volatiles. These volatiles were identified by comparative GC-mass spectrometry and GC-EAD analyses of natural and synthetic compounds. A blend of 28 synthetic candidate semiochemicals attracted both male and female WCM. Experiments deleting various components determined that saturated aldehydes—but not unsaturated aldehydes, saturated hydrocarbons, saturated alcohols, or ketones—were essential for blend attractiveness. A blend of nonanal, the single most attractive aldehyde, in combination with geranylacetone was more attractive to WCM than the 28-component blend or dried, untanned animal pelt. Selection of larval habitat resides more with male than female WCM, as indicated by stronger EAD responses from male than female antennae to habitat-derived semiochemicals, and more selective and early response to habitat cues by males than females. Exploitation of nonanal and geranylacetone as resource-derived semiochemicals by both adult WCM and its larval parasitoid, Apanteles carpatus, is an example of convergent semiochemical parsimony.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
ANDERSON, G. S., and VANLAERHOVEN, S. L. 1996. Initial studies on insect succession on carrion in South-western British Columbia. J. Foren. Sci. 41:617–625.
ARN, H., STADLER, E., and RAUSCHER, S. 1975. The electroantennographic detector-a selective and sensitive tool in the gas chromatographic analysis of insect pheromones. Z. Naturforsch. 30c:722–725.
BLUM, M. S. 1996. Semiochemical parsimony in the Arthropoda. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 41:353–374.
BORDEN, J. H. 1982. Aggregation pheromones in bark beetles, pp. 74–139, in J. B. Mitton, and K. B. Sturgeon (eds.). North American Conifers: A System for the Study of Evolutionary Biology. University of Texas Press: Austin.
BORNEMISSZA, G. F. 1957. An analysis of arthropod succession in carrion and the effect of its decomposition on the soil fauna. Aust. J. Zool. 5:1–12.
BYERS, J. A. 1992. Optimal fractionation and bioassay plans for the isolation of synergistic chemicals: the subtractive-combination method. J. Chem. Ecol. 18:1603–1621.
BYERS, J. A. 1995. Host tree chemistry affecting colonization in bark beetles, pp. 154–213, in R. T. Cardé, and W. J. Bell (eds.). Chemical Ecology of Insects 2. Chapman and Hall: New York.
DELURY, N. C., GRIES, R., GRIES, G., JUDD, G. J. R., and KHASKIN, G. 1999. Moth scale-derived kairomones used by egg-larval parasitoid Ascogaster quadridentata to locate eggs of its host, Cydia pomonella. J. Chem. Ecol. 25:2419–2431.
DETMERS, B., WOHLGEMUTH, R., and SCHNEIDER, E. 1992. Ñber dieWirkung von Steinkleekraut und Patschuliölgranulat auf die Kleidermotte Tineola bisselliella Hum. (Lepidoptera: Tineidae). Anz. Schädlingskunde Pflanzenschutz Umweltschutz. 65:81–88.
EARLY, M., and GOFF, M. L. 1986. Arthropod succession patterns in exposed carrion on the island of O'Ahu, Hawaiian Islands, USA. J. Med. Entomol. 23:520–531.
EMLEN, S. T., and ORING, L.W. 1977. Ecology, sexual selection, and the evolution of mating systems. Science. 197:215–223.
GERARD, P. J., PERRY, N. B., RUF, L. D., and FOSTER, L. M. 1993. Antifeedant and insecticidal activity of compounds from Pseudowintera colorata (Winteraceae) on the webbing clothes moth, Tineola bisselliella (Lepidoptera: Tineidae) and the Australian carpet beetle, Anthrenocerus australis (Coleoptera: Dermestidae). Bull. Entomol. Res. 83:547–552.
KAN, E., and WAKU, Y. 1985. Analysis of oviposition preference in the webbing clothes moth, Tineola bisselliella Hum. (Lepidoptera: Tineidae). Appl. Ent. Zool. 20:322–330.
KENNEDY, J. S. 1974. Changes in the patterning of behavioural sequences, pp. 1–6, in L. B. Brown (ed.). Experimental Analysis of Behaviour. Springer-Verlag: New York.
LEAL, W. S., ONO, M., HASEGAWA, M., and SAWADA, M. 1994. Kairomone from dandelion, Taraxicum officinale attractant for scarab beetle. J. Chem. Ecol. 20:1697–1704.
LIN, H., and PHELAN, P. L. 1991. Identification of food volatiles attractive to Glischrochilus quadrisignatus and Glischrochilus fasciatus (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae). J. Chem. Ecol. 17:2469–2480.
LINDROTH, R. L., SCRIBNER, J. M., and HSIA, M. T. S. 1988. Chemical ecology of the tiger swallowtail: mediation of host use by phenolic glycocides. Ecology 52:814–822.
MACíAS-SáMANO, J. E., BORDEN, J. H., GRIES, R., PIERCE, H. D. JR., GRIES, G., and KING, G. G. S. 1998. Primary attraction of the fir engraver, Scolytus ventralis. J. Chem. Ecol. 24:1049–1075.
NOTTINGHAM, S. F., HARDIE, J., DAWSON, G. W., HICK, A. J., PICKETT, J. A., WADHAMS, L. J., and WOODCOCK, C. M. 1991. Behavioural and electrophyiological responses of aphids to host and non-host volatiles. J. Chem. Ecol. 17:1231–1243.
PARKER, G. A. 1970. Sperm competition and its evolutionary effect on copula duration in the fly, Scatophaga stercoraria. J. Insect Physiol. 16:1301–1328.
REED, H. B. JR. 1958. A study of dog carcass communities in Tennessee, with special reference to the insects. Am. Mid. Nat. 59:213–245.
RODRIGUEZ, W. C., and BASS, W. M. 1983. Insect activity and its relationship to decay rates of human cadavers in east Tennessee. J. Foren. Sci. 28:423–432.
STAFFORD, F. 1971. Insects of a medieval burial. Sci. Arch. 7:6–10.
TAKáCS, S., GRIES, G., and GRIES, R. 1997. Semiochemical-mediated location of host habitat by Apanteles Carpatus (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a parasitoid of clothes moth larvae. J. Chem. Ecol. 23:459–472.
TAKáCS, S., GRIES, G., and GRIES, R. 2001. Communication ecology of webbing clothes moth: 1. Semiochemical-mediated location and suitability of larval habitat. J. Chem. Ecol. 27:1535–1546.
TRANYIER, R. M. M., SCHUMACHER, R. K., and LAU, D.M. 1994. Oviposition site selection by Tineola bisselliella, Tinea spp (Lepidoptera: Tineidae) and Anthrenus flavipes (Coleoptera: Dermestidae). J. Stor. Prod. Res. 30:321–329.
VANLAERHOVEN, S. L., and ANDERSON, G. S. 1999. Insect succession on buried carrion in two biogeoclimatic zones of British Columbia. J. Forensic Sci. 44:32–43.
VET, L. E. M. 1983. Host-habitat location through olfactory cues by Leptopilina clavipes (Hartig) (Hymenoptera: Eucoilidae), a parasitoid of fungivorous Drosophila: The influence of conditioning. Neth. J. Zool. 33:225–248.
WILSON, H. F. 1940. Lures and traps to control clothes moths and carpet beetles. J. Econ. Ent. 33:651–653.
ZAR, J. H. 1984. Biostatistical Analysis. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs: New Jersey.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Takács, S., Gries, G. & Gries, R. Communication Ecology of Webbing Clothes Moth: 2. Identification of Semiochemicals Mediating Attraction of Adults, to Larval Habitat. J Chem Ecol 27, 1547–1560 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010497922448
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010497922448