Abstract
The stink bug Leptocorisa chinensis (Hemiptera: Alydidae), which causes pecky rice grains, emits pungent volatiles when disturbed. To study ecological functions of the volatiles, we investigated the responses of adult L. chinensis in a small observation arena. When an undisturbed individual of the same gender was introduced into the arena, the initially occupying L. chinensis did not show any behavioural responses. However, when a disturbed conspecific of the same gender was introduced, the initial occupant was excited immediately and escaped from the arena through the hole, suggesting that the pungent volatiles from a disturbed conspecific caused excitement/escape behaviour. Chemical analyses using a gas chromatograph–mass spectrometer showed that disturbed adults of both sexes emitted octanal, (E)-2-octenal, octanol, hexyl acetate, (Z)-3-octenyl acetate, octyl acetate and (E)-2-octenyl acetate. (E)-2-Octenal was the major compound. When exposed to (E)-2-octenal and to (E)-2-octenyl acetate, undisturbed females were excited and escaped from the observation arena with a similar proportional response as to disturbed females. Males and females escaped from (E)-2-octenal at ca. 2–10 ppbV in a mesh cage. The possible use of the volatile compounds eliciting excitement/escape behaviour in L. chinensis for control of this species in paddy fields is discussed.
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