Sexual pheromones are chemical molecules responsible for mediating sex recognition and mating events. Long- and close-range sexual pheromones act differently. The first type is released to attract potential partners, whereas the second coordinates the interactions after potential mating partners encounter each other. Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) have been suggested to be important cues in the mating systems of several Hymenoptera species, although empirical data are still lacking for many species. Here, we evaluated whether males of the model species Polistes dominula can differentiate the sex of individuals based on their CHC composition. In August 2019, several post-worker emergent nests (n = 19) were collected in the vicinity of Leuven (Belgium) and taken to the lab (KU Leuven), where newly emerged females and males were sampled, marked individually, and kept in plastic boxes for at least a week before being used in the mating trials. Focal males were paired with females and males from different nests and subjected to five different conditions: (I) alive, (II) dead, (III) CHCs washed, (IV) CHCs partially returned, and (V) CHCs from the opposite sex. We videotaped the interactions for 10 min and analysed the duration and different behavioural interactions of the focal male. Our results indicate that CHCs may be used by males as cues to recognise a potential mating partner in P. dominula, since the focal males displayed specific courtship behaviours exclusively toward females. Although we cannot exclude that visual cues could also be used in combination with the chemical ones, we empirically demonstrate that CHCs may be important to convey sexual information at close range in mating systems, allowing fast decisions toward potential sexual partners or rivals.

性信息素是负责介导性别识别和交配事件的化学分子。远程和近距离性信息素的行为不同。第一种被释放以吸引潜在的伴侣，而第二种则协调潜在的伴侣之间的互动。尽管许多种类的实证数据仍然缺乏，但已提出表皮碳氢化合物（CHC）是几种膜翅目物种交配系统中的重要线索。在这里，我们评估了模式种Polistes dominula的雄性是否可以根据其CHC成分区分个体的性别。在2019年8月，几个工后出现的巢穴（n = 19）收集在比利时鲁汶附近，并送至实验室（KU Leuven），在那里对新出现的雌雄进行取样，单独标记，并在塑料盒中保存至少一周，然后再用于实验室。交配试验。具焦点的雄性与来自不同巢穴的雌性和雄性配对，并处于五种不同的条件下：（I）存活，（II）死亡，（III）洗过的CHC，（IV）部分返回的CHC和（V）异性的CHC 。我们录制了10分钟的互动视频，并分析了焦点男性的持续时间和不同的行为互动。我们的研究结果表明，男性可能会使用CHC作为线索来识别潜在的P. dominula交配伙伴。，因为焦点男性只对女性表现出特定的求爱行为。尽管我们不能排除视觉暗示也可以与化学暗示结合使用，但我们凭经验证明，在对接系统中近距离传播性信息方面，CHC可能很重要，从而可以快速决定潜在的性伴侣或对手。