P. Bergman et G. Bergstrom, SCENT MARKING, SCENT ORIGIN, AND SPECIES-SPECIFICITY IN MALE PREMATING BEHAVIOR OF 2 SCANDINAVIAN BUMBLEBEES, Journal of chemical ecology, 23(5), 1997, pp. 1235-1251
The marking behavior and the scent-marking compounds in males of two S
candinavian bumblebee species Bombus pratorum and Bombus lapidarius we
re studied. There are characteristic differences in the behavior and i
n the chemistry of the two species. Males of B. pratorum scent marked
small areas of the edges of birch leaves in a quick and unpredictable
manner, depositing farnesol, geranylgeranyl acetate, farnesyl acetate,
(Z)-11-octadecanol, hexadecanol, and a pentacosadiene. In B. lapidari
us, scent marking on birch leaves was much slower and the entire edge
of the leaf was marked with (Z)-9-hexadecenol and hexadecanol. These c
ompounds were also detected in the cephalic portion of the labial glan
d in males. Thus, males of B. lapidarius produce a blend of fatty acid
derivatives while B. pratorum males, in addition to fatty acid deriva
tives, also produce sesqui- and diterpenes. The total amount of scent
compounds per milligram of labial glands was 0.2 mu g in B. pratorum a
nd 40 mu g in B. lapidarius. Farnesol and farnesyl acetate were detect
ed via headspace collection in the air around leaves marked by B. prat
orum and (Z)-9-hexadecenol was detected around leaves marked by B. lap
idarius.