Lecture No.

24
SEMIOCHEMICALS-DEFINITION-INTRASPECIFIC SEMIOCHEMICALS AND
INTERSPECIFIC SEMIOCHEMICALS

Semiochemicals
The chemical substances that regulating insect behavior is called
semiochemicals.
(or) Chemicals involved in communication.
Semiochemicals maybe classified into interspecific semiochemicals
and intraspecific semiochemicals.
Interspecific semiochemicals
Interspecific semiochemicals include allomone, kairomone, synomone
and apneumone.
1. Allomone
Allomone is substance produced or acquired by an organism
that, when it contacts with individual of another species evokes
behavioural or physiological reaction that is adaptively favourable to
the emitter but not the receiver.
Eg. Repellents, deterrents (feeding and ovipositional)
2. Kairomone
Kairomone is substance produced or acquired by an organism
that, when it contacts with individual of another species evokes
behavioural or physiological reaction that is adaptively favourable to
the receiver but not the emitter.
Eg. Attractants.
3. Synomone
Synomone is substance produced or acquired by an organism
that, when it contacts with individual of another species evokes
behavioural or physiological reaction that is adaptively favourable to
both emitter and receiver.
Eg. Plant odours attracting natural enemies of pests.
4. Apneumone

Chemicals emitted from non living materials eliciting behavioural

changes.
Eg. Fish meal trap attracting sorghum shoot fly.
Intraspecific semiochemicals
Pheromone
Semiochemicals used for intraspecific communication which is an
exocrine secretion that causes specific reaction in the receiving individuals of
the same species.
In 1959, German chemists Karlson and Butenandt isolated and
identified the first pheromone, a sex attractant from silkworm moths. They
coined the term pheromone. Based on the responses elicited pheromones
can be classified into 2 groups.
a) Primer pheromones: They trigger off a chain of physiological changes in
the recipient without any immediate change in the behaviour. They act
through

gustatory

(taste)

sensilla.

(eg.)

Caste

determination

and

reproduction in social insects like ants, bees, wasps, and termites are
mediated by primer pheromones.
b) Releaser pheromones: These pheromones produce an immediate
change in the behaviour of the recipient. Releaser pheromones may be
further subdivided based on their biological activity into
1) Sex pheromone
2) Aggregation pheromone
3) Alarm pheromone
4) Trail marking pheromone
1. Sex pheromone
Female produce sex pheromone to attract male insect.
Eg. Bombykol is a sex pheromone produced by Bombyx mori.
Gyplure, disparlure gypsy moth Porthetria dispar.
Looplure cabbage looper Trichoplusia ni.
Gossyplure - Pink bollworm ,Pectinophora gossypiella
Spodolure, litlure - Tobacco cutworm, Spodoptera litura

Helilure - Gram pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera

Queens substance - Honey bee queen, Apis sp.

In some insects male produces pheromones.
Eg. Sex pheromone of male boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis contain
two terpene alcohols and two aldehydes.
Aphrodisiacs are substances that aid in courtship of the insects after
the two sexes are brought together. In many cases males produce
aphrodisiacs.
2. Aggregation pheromone
These pheromones induce aggregation or congregation of insects for
protection, reproduction and feeding.
Eg. Frontalin from Dendroctonus
Ipsenol from Ips confuses
Periplanone from Periplaneta
3. Alarm pheromone
It is primarily an antipredator device, a warning to conspecifics
(members of the same species) about the presence or attack of an enemy.
Eg. Terpenes from aphids
Formic acid from ants
2-heptanone from honey mandibular gland
4. Trail marking pheromone
It is used in route perception to find mates or to utilize food resources
more efficiently.

Eg. Caproic acid from Zootermopsis spp.

Major differences between male and female produced pheromones

are listed below
Sl.No

Properies

Female sex pheromone

Male sex pheromone

1.

Range

Acts at a short distance

Role of other stimuli

Acts at a long range.

Attracts males from long
distance
Play less role

3.

Action elicited in the

other sex

Atrracts and excites males

to copulate

Lowers females resistance to

mating

4.

Importance in IPM

More important

Insect orders producing sex pheromones

Visual and auduitory stimuli

play major role

Less important

Lepidoptera,

Orthoptera,

Dictyoptera,

Diptera,

Coleoptera,

Hymenoptera, Hemiptera, Neuroptera and Mecoptera. In Lepidoptera, sex

pheromonal system is highly evolved.
Pheromone producing glands
In Lepidoptera they are produced by eversible glands at the tip of
the abdomen of the females. Aphrodisiac glands of male insects are scent
brushes (or hair pencils) at the tip of the abdomen (eg. Male butterfly of
Danaus sp.). Andraconia are glandular scales on wings of male moths
producing aphrodisiacs.
Pheromones in insect pest management
The synthetic pehromones are used to monitor pest population attract
and kill insects and confuse male from mating (mating disruption). Lures are
available for following pests.
1. Helicoverpa armigera Heli lure
2. Tobacco cut worm Spodoptera litura Spodolure, Pherodin SL
3. Pink bollworm Pectinophora gossypiella Pectinolure, Gossyplure
4. Rhinoceros beetle Oryctes rhinoceros Sime RB or Rhinolure
5. Red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Ferrolure
6. Spotted bollworm Earias Erin lure
7. Farnescene has been identified as alarm pheromone of aphids.
The number of traps required for monitoring is 12/ha.
Set up at 1-2 above the crop level.
Types of pheromone trap
1. Funnel trap for many insects
2. Sticky trap or delta trap for pink boll worm
3. Bucket trap for red palm weevil and rhinoceros beetle.