Document Type
Article
Journal/Book Title/Conference
Annals of the Entomological Society of America
Volume
72
Publication Date
7-1-1979
First Page
514
Last Page
515
Abstract
The cephalic secretions of both sexes of the anthophorid bees, Melissodes desponsa Smith and female M. denticulata Smith contain n-C20 to n-C27 hydrocarbons, n-hexadecanoic acid, and n-octadecanoic acid; male M. denticulata heads yielded 6 saturated and unsaturated butyrate esters from n-dodecyl butyrate to n-octadecyl butyrate. The Dufour's gland of M. desponsa contains n-tetradecy) acetate, dihydrofarnesyl acetate, and farnesyl acetate. Cephalic secretions may be used in aggregation, mating and defense; the acetates may serve to identify subterranean cells. The utilization of pheromones for wild bee pollmation management is proposed.
Recommended Citation
Batra, Suzanne W. T. and Hefetz, Abraham, "Chemistry of the Cephalic and Dufor's Gland Secretions of Melissodes Bees" (1979). Ba. Paper 103.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/bee_lab_ba/103