She had just finished working on her research with the female moths in the laboratory and as she left the lab and walked to her car that night the graduate student was soon met with a fluttering congregation of male moths. The pheromone molecules secreted by the laboratory female moths was still in sufficient amounts on the young graduate student's skin and clothing and, as these special chemical vapors diffused into the night air, the male moths followed the trail seeking a friendly mate of the same species – unfortunately the species they found was incorrect. Such is the unique and specific character of pheromones – intriguing and unique molecules of significance and import for survival of species of animals. Learn more of pheromone chemistry below.
The Importance and Chemical Characteristics of Pheromones
Pheromones are very common and important in animals, especially insects, but pheromones are known from amebae to humans. Thus, scientists can say that these unique chemical molecules have significance for the life and survival for animals throughout that kingdom and other kingdoms too.
Here are some of the most important characteristics of pheromones:
- are small chemical molecules of low molecular weights
- are of many diverse and different chemical types
- diffuse in air, water, other liquids and semisolid matrices
- are specific to species or certain varieties or strains
- are an important part of many animals' biochemical pathways
- can be isolated, purified and identified and characterized
- among insects such as wasps, bees and ants pheromones may be involved in nest defense, alarm and recruitment
- sexual attractant pheromones may be used to trap and catch males of the same species
- therefore, pheromones can be used for insect population control
- have been identified and are as part of the chemistry of human males and females
Complex Chemical Pheromone Interactions of Different Insects
An example of this can be provided by looking at a predator of fire ants, the phorid fly. Phorids are a natural biological control agent for fire ants. Drs. Vander Meer and Porter first discovered "fire ant workers release exocrine gland products that attract phorid fly parasites" and these active compounds are "fire ant alarm pheromones" which are emitted from their mandibular (jaw site and chewing) glands. Dr. Vander Meer notes that isolation and purification of these alarm pheromones will help develop and increase the lab rearing efficiency of the phorid flies and assist in effective detection traps for fire ants which cause billions of dollars a year in agricultural damage.
Sources
ARS, USDA. "Attractant Enhanced Baits." Accessed 28 November, 2011 @ ars.usda.gov
Tsai. "Pheromones and Reproduction." Accessed 28, November 2011 @ colorado.edu
Donald Reinhardt - Think, read, write & live well always. DJR has a PhD in Biology/Microbiology & is a Fellow & Diplomate, ASM Amer Acad Micro.
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