In Southeast Asia the native honey bee species Apis cerana is often attacked by hornets ( Vespa velutina ), mainly in the period from April to November. During the co-evolution of these two species honey bees have developed several strategies to defend themselves such as learning the odors of hornets and releasing alarm components to inform other mates. However, so far little is known about whether and how honey bees modulate their olfactory learning in the presence of the hornet predator and alarm components of honey bee itself. In the present study, we test for associative olfactory learning of A . cerana in the presence of predator odors, the alarm pheromone component isopentyl acetate (IPA), or a floral odor (hexanal) as a control. The results show that bees can detect live hornet odors, that there is almost no association between the innately aversive hornet odor and the appetitive stimulus sucrose, and that IPA is less well associated with an appetitive stimulus when compared with a floral odor. In order to imitate natural conditions, e.g. when bees are foraging on flowers and a predator shows up, or alarm pheromone is released by a captured mate, we tested combinations of the hornet odor and floral odor, or IPA and floral odor. Both of these combinations led to reduced learning scores. This study aims to contribute to a better understanding of the prey-predator system between A . cerana and V . velutina .
Jiangchao Zhang,Jinjia Liu,Fei Gao,Min Chen,Yusuo Jiang,Huiting Zhao,Weihua Ma
Simple SummaryHoneybees (Apis mellifera) and bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) are often used to pollinate melon flowers in facilities. The researchers identified the volatiles in male and female flowers of a common melon species (Cucumis melo) grown in facilities and measured the EAG and behavioral responses of honeybees and bumblebees when exposed to isolated volatiles from the melon flowers. These results provide basic data for the rational utilization of bees.AbstractAs important pollinators, honeybees and bumblebees present a pollination behavior that is influenced by flower volatiles through the olfactory system. In this study, volatile compounds from melon flowers were isolated and identified by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and their effects onApis melliferaandBombus terrestriswere investigated by electroantennogram (EAG) and behavior tests (Y-tube olfactometer). The results showed that 77 volatile compounds were detected in melon flowers, among which the relative content of aldehydes was the highest (61.34%; 82.09%).A. melliferashowed a strong EAG response to e-2-hexenal, e-2-octenal, and 1-nonanal.B. terrestrisshowed a strong EAG response to e-2-hexenal, e-2-octenal, 2,5-dimethyl-benzaldehyde, benzaldehyde and benzenepropanal. In behavior tests, the volatiles with the highest attractive rate toA. melliferawere e-2-hexenal (200 μg/μL, 33.33%) and e-2-octenal (300 μg/μL, 33.33%), and those toB. terrestriswere e-2-hexenal (10 μg/μL, 53.33%) and 2,5-dimethyl-benzaldehyde (100 μg/μL, 43.33%). E-2-hexenal and e-2-octenal were more attractive toA. melliferathanB. terrestris, respectively (10 μg/μL, 10 μg/μL, 200 μg/μL). In conclusion, the volatiles of melon flowers in facilities have certain effects on the electrophysiology and behavior of bees, which is expected to provide theoretical and technical support for the pollination ofA. melliferaandB. terrestrisin facilities.Keywords:Apis mellifera;Bombus terrestris;flower volatiles;electroantennography (EAG);olfactory behavior;melon
Cong Rao,Chao Yuan,Wangjin He,Hailiang Guo,Kuitun Liu,Jianfeng Fan,Jianya Su
This study elucidates the molecular mechanism by which flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) mediates metabolic resistance to nereistoxin insecticides in lepidopteran pests. A field population of Spodoptera exigua exhibited 50-fold resistance with upregulated SeFMO expression. Using FMO-specific inhibitors, recombinant protein expression, and mass spectrometry, we confirmed that FMO catalyzes N-oxidation of nereistoxin insecticide at the tertiary amine nitrogen. Molecular docking revealed that insect FMO’s catalytic mechanism resembles that of human FMO. Transgenic Drosophila models demonstrated that the FMO-mediated N-oxidation enhances insecticide resistance, indicating evolutionary conservation. This highlights FMO’s role in insecticide detoxification and its conserved function across species, providing new insights into pest resistance mechanisms.
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