Repellent Effect of Volatile Fatty Acids on Lesser Mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus).

Bartosz Baran,Michał Krzyżowski,Mateusz Grabowski,Jakub Janiec,Jacek Francikowski,Mikołaj Cup

doi:10.3390/insects9010035

Bartosz Baran, Michał Krzyżowski + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/insects9010035

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Abstract

Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) are a group of common metabolites and semiochemicals mediating information transfer between higher organisms and bacteria, either from microbiome or external environment. VFAs commonly occur among various insect orders. There are numerous studies exploring their influence on the behavior of different insect species. In relation to the papers published by J. E. McFarlane in 1985, we assessed the effects of formic, acetic, propionic, butyric and valeric acids on the spatial preference of the lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus), a common pest of stored food grain products and the poultry industry. The main aim of the presented study was to provide new angles in VFA research, recreating the classical study both with new methods and on economically significant pest species. This paper presents a novel method of continuous, simultaneous assessment of site preference and the travelled distance in a constant-flow olfactometer. All the tested VFAs, except valeric acid, had a significant repellent effect, with formic acid being effective even at the lowest used concentration. Additionally, the VFAs significantly altered the distance travelled by the insects. The obtained results indicate a potential role for VFAs in the olfactory guided behavior of A. diaperinus. It is suspected that the reaction to the presence of VFAs may deviate from the specificity of species’ original habitat.

Highlights

Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) are carboxylic acids with an aliphatic chain consisting of up to six carbon atoms as produced by the microorganisms, which are either present in the environment or inhabit the animals’ digestive tracts [1]
Speculation grew about their potential role in the information transfer
Given their characteristics, including high volatility and wide availability in the environment, these compounds present a high potential for information transfer, such as an indication of insect population density in a given area

Summary

Introduction

Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) are carboxylic acids with an aliphatic chain consisting of up to six carbon atoms as produced by the microorganisms, which are either present in the environment or inhabit the animals’ digestive tracts [1]. VFAs have been extensively investigated due to their potential role as a group of universal infochemicals dedicated to transferring information between higher organisms, native gut microbiome, and their environment. Studying the role of VFAs may greatly contribute to the general understanding of spatial behavior and chemical ecology of various species [2]. For the purposes of this paper, a flexible, cost-effective system, and a new method of analyzing the influence of volatile compounds on spatial preference and behavioral activity of insects was developed

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