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Insect Pheromones

Pheromones are odorants that are used for intraspecific communication. In insects, often complex blends of chemical compounds are employed for example to attract mating partners, alarm conspecifics or as aggregation signals. Communication by pheromones represents the main communication channel for many species. Therefore, the chemical identity and the composition of pheromones have been steadily changed and adapted to the ecological niche of the species in the course of evolution.

We are particularly interested in sex pheromones of insects. In our actual research we focus on pheromone communication in reproduction behaviour and decoding of the partly complex pheromone blends. In addition to sex pheromones that are used in mate finding and mate choice, our interest lies in pheromones that have functions in post copulatory processes (courtship inhibition, signalling unreceptivity). Moreover, by using closely related locust species we analyse how differences in phase polyphenism are reflected in the composition, function, as well as the regulation of biosynthesis of male specific pheromones.

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