Chemical Ecology of Astigmatid Mites XXXII. 2-Hydroxy-6-methyl-benzaldehyde, the Sex Pheromone of the Brown-Legged Grain Mite Aleuroglyphus ovatus (Troupeau) (Acarina: Acaridae)

Abstract

The female sex pheromone of the brown-legged grain mite Aleuroglyphus ovatus was identified as 2-hydroxy-6-methyl-benzaldehyde (2,6-HMBD), which sexually stimulated males to copulate. Neither the crude hexane extract nor the fractions partially separated by a silica gel column demonstrated activity; the sex pheromone was masked by the alarm pheromonal activity of citral present in the extract. The fact that 2,6-HMBD was the major component in the adult extracts, and a minor component in the nymphal stage extract, suggested its pheromonal role among adults. The activity was elicited when 2,6-HMBD was carefully isolated by TLC and/or LC. Synthetic 2,6-HMBD elicited the same sexual response as that demonstrated with the isolated natural pheromone. © 1992, JAPANESE SOCIETY OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY. All rights reserved.