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Sex Pheromone of Queens of the Slave-Making Ant, Polyergus breviceps

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Abstract

The sex attractant pheromone produced in mandibular glands of queens of the slave-making ant Polyergus breviceps has been identified as a blend of methyl 6-methylsalicylate and 3-ethyl-4-methylpentanol. In field trials, each compound alone was completely unattractive to males, whereas blends of the two compounds attracted hundreds of males within a couple of hours.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521

    Les Greenberg, Ali Aliabadi, J. Stephen McElfresh & Jocelyn G. Millar

  2. P.O. Box 16366, Portal, AZ, 85632

    Howard Topoff

Authors
  1. Les Greenberg
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  2. Ali Aliabadi
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  3. J. Stephen McElfresh
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  4. Howard Topoff
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  5. Jocelyn G. Millar
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Greenberg, L., Aliabadi, A., McElfresh, J.S. et al. Sex Pheromone of Queens of the Slave-Making Ant, Polyergus breviceps . J Chem Ecol 30, 1297–1303 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOEC.0000030300.11787.01

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOEC.0000030300.11787.01

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