Richard M. Duffield

Sociochemicals of Bees

The aculeate Hymenoptera include approximately 14 000 species of ants, 16 000 species of wasps and 20000 species of bees world-wide (Wilson, 1971; Michener, 1974). Such insects exhibit diversity both in the chemistry of their exocrine secretions and their behaviors. These compounds range from simple alkanes to terpenoids and triglycerides; social behaviors range from strictly solitary to the complex caste systems of honey bees and stingless bees.

Ketones and alcohols in the defensive secretion of Leiobunum townsendi weed and a review of the known exocrine secretions of Palpatores (Arachnida:Opiliones)

Abstract 1. 1. The chemistry of the exocrine secretion of the western North American opilionid, Leiobunum townsendi , is reported. 2. 2. The secretion contains four volatile ketones and alcohols. They include 4-methyl-3-heptanone, 4-methyl-3-heptanol, ( E )-4-methyl-4-hepten-3-one and ( E )-4-methyl-4-hepten-3-ol. 3. 3. The two alcohols, 4-methyl-3-heptanol and ( E )-4-methyl-4-hepten-3-ol are new natural products reported for opilionids. 4. 4. A review of the chemistry of the exocrine secretions of members of the Palpatores is presented.

Chemistry of the exocrine secretions of Hylaeus modestus (Hymenoptera; Colletidae).

Abstract 1. 1. The chemistry of the mandibular gland and Dufours gland secretions of the Nearctic colletid bee, Hylaeus modestus, has been investigated. 2. 2. Two isomers of citral were identified in the mandibular gland secretions. 3. 3. A homologous series of four macrocyclic latones (18-octadecanolide, 20-eicosanolide, 22-docosanolide and 24-tetracosanolide) were identified in the Dufours gland secretions. 4. 4. Four ethyl esters (ethyl palmitate, ethyl stearate, ethyl eicosanate and ethyl docosanate) were identified in the Dufours gland secretions as well as traces of the corresponding methyl esters. 5. 5. Ethyl esters of fatty acids have not been known as Dufours products in bees.

Occurrence of the rotifer, Habrotrocha cf. rosa Donner, in the purple pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea L., (Sarraceniaceae) along the eastern seaboard of North America

Sarracenia purpurea L. plants were studiedin seven bogsalong the eastern seaboard of the United States fromNew Jersey to Georgia. Water sampled from 225 leaveswas found to contain several invertebrates. A singlebdelliod rotifer, a form of Habrotrocha cf. rosaDonner very similar to that described by Bateman(1987) in S. purpurea in western Newfoundland,was identified in 70% of the leaves. Investigationsare in progress to examine the possibility that thisstrong association indicates H. cf. rosa isspecific to S. purpurea.

Mandibular gland chemistry of four Caribbean species of Camponotus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

The volatile components of whole-body extracts of males, females and workers were analyzed in four species of Neotropical ants in the formicine genus, Camponotus. The species, C. kaura, C. sexguttatus, C. ramulorum and C. planatus, represent three different subgenera. Volatile mandibular gland components were found only in male extracts in three of the species. In C. ramulorum, volatile components were found in male and female reproductives and workers. 3,4-Dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methylpyran-4-one and octanic acid were found in different sets of three of the species. Methyl 6-methyl salicylate was found in two species and the isocoumarin, mellein, was found in a third species. The significance of the mandibular gland secretion for formicid systematics is discussed.

Mandelonitrile in larval secretion of mountain ash sawfly, Pristiphora geniculata (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae)

The larval defensive secretion of the mountain ash sawfly,Pristiphora geniculata, contains seven volatile components. They include benz-aldehyde, borneol, bornyl acetate, mandelonitrile, and C14, C16, and C18 acetates.

Alkylpyrazines in the mandibular gland secretions of Ammophila wasps (Hymenoptera: sphecidae)☆

Abstract 1. 1. The chemistry of the mandibular glands of four Nearctic species of sphecid wasps in the genus Ammophila is reported. 2. 2. The alkylpyrazine identified in A. fernaldi and A. procera males and A. nigricans males and females is 2,5-dimethyl-3-isopentylpyrazine. 3. 3. There are sex differences in the alkylpyrazines of A. urnaria . Males have 2,6-dimethyl-3-propylpyrazine and females have 2,6-dimethyl-3-butylpyrazine.

Stoneflies (Plecoptera) in the diet of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis Mitchell) in Libby Creek, Wyoming, USA

The stonefly component of a naturally reproducing population of brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis) was studied by analyzing 216 stomach pump samples collected between May 15 and August 10, 1991 and 1992, from Libby Creek, an alpine stream in the Medicine Bow National Forest in Wyoming. Stoneflies constituted 10.3% of the total items recovered and were the second most abundant order in the samples. Nineteen species of Plecoptera representing five families were identified. Approximately 43% of all stoneflies were Sweltsa lamba; the next most prevalent species was Zapada haysi (12%). The other prevalent insect orders in the samples were Diptera (57.2%), Ephemeroptera (8.4%) and Trichoptera (6.1%). Terrestrial Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, and Hemiptera were most common in July and August.

Exocrine secretions of bees : VI. Unsaturated ketones and aliphatic esters in the Dufour's gland secretion ofDufourea novaeangliae (Hymenoptera: Halictidae).

The volatile components of the Dufours gland extracts ofDufourea novaeangliae were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. The following were identified: a series of five bis-homologous unsaturated ketones ranging from C10 to C18, a series of nine bis-homologous hexanoates ranging from C8 to C24, a series of three bis-homologous octanoates ranging from C8 to C12, and hexanoic, hexadecanoic, and octadecanoic acids. The ketones are all new natural products reported for bees. Several of these unsaturated ketones were also identified in extracts of the provision masses from their nest cells. Male mandibular gland extracts contained citral.

Exocrine secretions of bees—VII. Aliphatic esters in the dufour's gland secretion of Svastra obliqua obliqua (hymenoptera: anthophoridae)

The chemistry of the Dufours gland secretion of Svastra obliqua obliqua is reported. A series of 32 aliphatic esters were identified. The Dufours secretion of Svastra obliqua obliqua contains the most complex mixture of volatile compounds in bee extracts examined to date.