TY  - JOUR
AU  - Roux, O.
AU  - Martin, J.M.
AU  - Ghomsi, N.T.
AU  - Dejean, A.
PY  - 2009//
TI  - A Non-lethal Water-based Removal-reapplication Technique for Behavioral Analysis of Cuticular Compounds of Ants
T2  - J. Chem. Ecol.
JO  - Journal of Chemical Ecology
SP  - 904
EP  - 912
VL  - 35
IS  - 8
PB  - SPRINGER
KW  - Ants
KW  - Behavioral assay
KW  - Behavioral ecology
KW  - Camponotus blandus
KW  - Chemical composition
KW  - Chemical ecology
KW  - Cuticular hydrocarbons
KW  - Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
KW  - Live dummies
KW  - Solenopsis saevissima
KW  - Methods
N2  - Interspecific relationships among insects are often mediated by chemical cues, including non-volatile cuticular compounds. Most of these compounds are hydrocarbons that necessitate the use of solvents for their extraction, identification, and manipulation during behavioral assays. The toxicity of these solvents often precludes the removal and reapplication of hydrocarbons from and to live insects. As a consequence, dummies often are used in behavioral assays, but their passivity can bias the behavior of the responding insects. To overcome these limitations, we propose a method where cuticular compounds are extracted from live ants by placing them into glass vials half-filled with tepid water (ca. 34A degrees C) and vigorously shaking the vials to form an emulsion whose supernatant can be analyzed and/or reapplied to other ants. We demonstrate that cuticular compounds can be extracted from workers of the red fire ant, Solenopsis saevissima, and reapplied to the cuticle of workers from a sympatric species, Camponotus blandus (both Hymenoptera: Formicidae), while keeping the ants alive. Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis and behavioral assays were used to confirm the successful transfer of the behaviorally active compounds.
SN  - 0098-0331
N1  - ISI:000269954400006
ID  - Roux_etal2009
ER  -