All articles tagged with #chemical communication
A Nature study shows naked mole-rat queens release isopropyl myristate, a scent that suppresses reproduction in other females, allowing the queen to monopolize breeding; the chemical fluctuates with the queen’s cycle, and blocking the smell can enable non-queens to reproduce, sometimes triggering colony upheaval until a new queen is crowned.
Scientists have identified the complex chemical cocktail that comprises the aphrodisiac pheromone in male moths, specifically the tobacco budworm moth. The pheromone includes a combination of alcohols, aldehydes, acetates, carboxylic acids, aliphatic polyunsaturated hydrocarbons, and plant compounds such as methyl salicylate (MeSA), which is also found in spearmint gum. The male moth's diet is the source of these compounds. The study suggests that MeSA increases a male moth's chances of mating, and female moths are tuned in to this chemical signal when choosing a mate.