2-Methyl-3-butene-2-ol, a major component of the alarm pheromone of the hornet Vespa crabro

Veith, H. J.; Kœniger, N.; Maschwitz, U.

doi:10.1007/bf00396622

Cited by 53 publications

(29 citation statements)

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“…Many Heath, 1987;Landolt et al, 1995;Maschwitz, 1964;Maschwitz, 1984;Maschwitz and Hanel, 1988;Moritz and Bürgin, 1987;Ono et al, 2003;Saslavasky et al, 1973;Sledge et al, 1999;Veith et al, 1984). Our group (Bruschini et al, 2006a) has shown that, in P. dominulus, such venom volatiles are capable of eliciting an alarm response once the colony was stimulated both visually (moving targets) and chemically (worker venom extracts).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Caste differences in venom volatiles and their effect on alarm behaviour in the paper waspPolistes dominulus (Christ)

Bruschini

Cervo

Protti

et al. 2008

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARYFoundresses and workers of Polistes paper wasps show slight morphological and physiological differences. However, after the emergence of the workers, the castes can be readily discriminated by their behaviour: the dominant foundress is the principal egg-layer, whereas workers perform different tasks linked to colony development. Previous studies have demonstrated in this genus that defence of the colony by the workers is more effectively carried out by a collective response elicited by venom volatiles used as alarm pheromones. In the present study, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses of the venom volatiles of foundresses and workers of Polistes dominulus (Christ) show predominantly quantitative differences. Spiroacetals, mainly (E,E)-2,8-dimethyl-1,7-dioxaspiro[5.5]undecane, are significantly higher in the venom volatiles fraction of workers, whereas the amount of N-(3-methylbutyl)acetamide is almost double in foundresses. On the basis of the chemical results, behavioural assays were performed on fifteen field colonies to test the alarm response of the resident wasps to venom extracts from foundresses and workers. Our behavioural results suggest that worker venom has a stronger alarm effect on the colonies than that of the foundresses, which seems unable to elicit the complete alarm response ending with a final attack and sting. The venom volatiles of P. dominulus workers serve mainly to alarm the colony whilst those of foundresses may also be linked to additional functions related to conspecific interactions.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Caste differences in venom volatiles and their effect on alarm behaviour in the paper waspPolistes dominulus (Christ)

Bruschini

Cervo

Protti

et al. 2008

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…In fact, sting venom appears to be a primary source of alarm pheromone. Polistes dominulus (Bruschini et al, 2006;Landolt et al, 1998), Vespula squamosa (Heath and Landolt, 1988;Landolt et al, 1995), Vespa crabro (Veith et al, 1984), Vespa mandarinia (Ono et al, 2003) and Vespa simillima xanthoptera (Ono et al, 2003) provide examples. In these species, volatile alarm pheromones are released when sting venom is exuded by the stinger or via stinging (Ali and Morgan, 1990;Downing, 1991;Jeanne, 1981;Landolt and Akre, 1979).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some compounds may act synergistically with components that elicit an alarm response or serve different functions . Components that trigger alarm behaviour include N-3-methylbutylacetamide in Vespula squamosa (Heath and Landolt, 1988;Landolt et al, 1995), 2-methyl-3-butene-2-ol in Vespa crabro (Veith et al, 1984), 2-pentanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 1-methylbutyl 3-methylbutanoate in V. mandarinia and V. simillima xanthoptera (Ono et al, 2003), nonan-2-one in V. orientalis (Saslavasky et al, 1973), and amides and ketones in Dolichovespula maculata (Jimenez et al, 2016). However, the functions of other components remain unclear.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Poison and alarm: The Asian hornetVespa velutinauses sting venom volatiles as alarm pheromone

Cheng

Wen

Dong

et al. 2016

Journal of Experimental Biology

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In colonial organisms, alarm pheromones can provide a key fitness advantage by enhancing colony defence and warning of danger. Learning which species use alarm pheromone and the key compounds involved therefore enhances our understanding of how this important signal has evolved. However, our knowledge of alarm pheromones is more limited in the social wasps and hornets compared with the social bees and ants. Vespa velutina is an economically important and widespread hornet predator that attacks honey bees and humans. This species is native to Asia and has now invaded Europe. Despite growing interest in V. velutina, it was unknown whether it possessed an alarm pheromone. We show that these hornets use sting venom as an alarm pheromone. Sting venom volatiles were strongly attractive to hornet workers and triggered attacks. Two major venom fractions, consisting of monoketones and diketones, also elicited attack. We used gas chromatography coupled to electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) to isolate 13 known and 3 unknown aliphatic ketones and alcohols in venom that elicited conspicuous hornet antennal activity. Two of the unknown compounds may be an undecen-2-one and an undecene-2,10-dinone. Three major compounds (heptan-2-one, nonan-2-one and undecan-2-one) triggered attacks, but only nonan-2-one did so at biologically relevant levels (10 hornet equivalents). Nonan-2-one thus deserves particular attention. However, the key alarm releasers for V. velutina remain to be identified. Such identification will help to illuminate the evolution and function of alarm compounds in hornets.

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“…The ability to run multiple sets of experiments in rapid succession is particularly critical in nest-defense pheromone research, where often many experiments are required to unravel the composition of complex pheromone blends (Veith et al 1984, Dani et al 2000, Wager and Breed 2000, Fortunato et al 2004, and where research progress is tied each year to the few weeks during which vespine nests are in defense mode.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…If the venom sac contains marker pheromone, the stung predator is effectively marked for attack (Hermann 1971, Overal et al 1981, Mulfinger et al 1992. In other social species, such as hornets (Vespa) and some yellowjackets (Vespula), alarm and marker pheromones are present in the venom sac, and may be deposited on a predator's skin during stinging or venom-spraying (Veith et al 1984, Landolt et al 1995.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Developing a paired-target apparatus for quantitative testing of nest defense behavior by vespine wasps in response to con- or heterospecific nest defense pheromones

McCann¹,

Moeri²,

Jimenez³

et al. 2015

JHR

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Social wasps commonly exhibit impressive, pheromone-mediated nest defenses with stinging attacks on potential vertebrate nest predators. Studying this type of nest defense and comparing results across studies is challenging because there is no standardized method for quantifying defense intensities. For that reason, we developed a simple, paired-target apparatus coupled with easy and inexpensive data recording and analysis technologies. Each target is formed by two conjoined black plastic weigh boats that generate distinct percussive sounds when struck by attacking wasps. A battery-powered microphone inside each target converts the sounds into electrical signals that are transferred to a digital audio recorder. These audio files are then split into left-and right-channel files, saved as 16-bit WAV files, and the strikes to each target are counted using the open-source software SoundRuler. Using this apparatus, we show that workers of Vespula pensylvanica, V. alascensis, and V. germanica strike targets that are treated with conspecific venom sac extract more frequently than paired control targets. We also show that workers of V. alascensis, V. pensylvanica and V. germanica strike targets that are treated with heterospecific extracts more frequently than paired control targets, indicating that the wasps recognize nest alarm pheromones from congeners. These data provide evidence for conserved nest defense pheromones among some Vespula wasps and proof of concept that our technology is capable of quantifying the intensity of pheromone-mediated nest defense behavior in Vespula and other large and formidable social wasps.

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2-Methyl-3-butene-2-ol, a major component of the alarm pheromone of the hornet Vespa crabro

Cited by 53 publications

References 2 publications

Caste differences in venom volatiles and their effect on alarm behaviour in the paper waspPolistes dominulus (Christ)

Caste differences in venom volatiles and their effect on alarm behaviour in the paper waspPolistes dominulus (Christ)

Poison and alarm: The Asian hornetVespa velutinauses sting venom volatiles as alarm pheromone

Developing a paired-target apparatus for quantitative testing of nest defense behavior by vespine wasps in response to con- or heterospecific nest defense pheromones

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