Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Response of the neonate larvae of Cactoblastis cactorum to synthetic cactoblastins, a newly identified class of pheromonally-active chemicals found in the caterpillar’s mandibular glands

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Chemoecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The pre-excavation activity of the neonate larvae of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is typically confined to an arena that encircles the base of their egg stick. If the caterpillars are unable to penetrate the host plant within the arena, they strike off en masse in search of a more favorable site, marking their pathway with secretions from their mandibular glands. One component of this secretion, 4-hydroxy-2-oleoylcyclohexane-1,3-dione (an acylcyclohexanedione, ACHD), has been previously shown to function as a trail pheromone. In this paper, we report the characterization, synthesis, and bioassays of a family of 3-acyl fatty acid methyl esters (which we named cactoblastins), a chemically distinct group of mandibular gland compounds that also elicit trail following behavior. The relative effectiveness in eliciting trail following of the ACHD and six, chemically distinct, synthetic cactoblastins was determined. The most bioactive of the cactoblastins was also compared to whole mandibular gland extract to assess its ability to disrupt the aggregative behavior of the neonates and to serve as a biorational alternative to pesticides for managing invasive populations of the caterpillar.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agoramoorthy G, Chandrasekaran M, Venkatesalu V, Hsu MJ (2007) Antibacterial and antifungal activities of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters of the blind-your-eye mangrove from India. Br J Microbiol 38:739–742

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Corbet SA (1971) Mandibular gland secretion of larvae of the flour moth, Anagasta kuehniella, contains an epideictic pheromone and elicits oviposition movements in a hymenopteran parasite. Nature 232:481–484

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Costa JT (2006) The other insect societies. Harvard University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Dickel TS (1991) Cactoblastis cactorum in Florida (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Phycitinae). Trop Lepidoptera 2:117–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Dilika F, Bremner PD, Meyer JJ (2000) Antibacterial activity of linoleic and oleic acids isolated from Helichrysum pedunculatum: a plant used during circumcision rites. Fitoterapia 71(4):450–452

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dodd AP (1940) The biological campaign against prickly pear Commonwealth Prickly Pear Board Brisbane 1–177

  • Ferreira P, Cardoso T, Ferreira F, Ferreira MF, Piper P, Sousa MJ (2014) Mentha piperita essential oil induces apoptosis in yeast associated with both cytosolic and mitochondrial ROS-mediated damage. FEMS Yeast Res. https://doi.org/10.1111/1567-1364.12189

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fitzgerald TD (1993) Trail following and recruitment: response of eastern tent caterpillar Malacosoma americanum to 5β-cholestane-3-24-dione and 5β-cholestan-3-one. J Chem Ecol 19:449–545

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fitzgerald TD (2008) Use of a pheromone mimic to cause the disintegration and collapse of colonies of tent caterpillars (Malacosoma spp.). J Appl Entomol 211:671–677

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fitzgerald TD, Underwood DLA (1998) Trail marking by the larva of the Madrone butterfly Eucheira socialis and the role of the trail pheromone in communal foraging behavior. J Insect Behav 11:247–263

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fitzgerald TD, Wolfin M, Rossi F, Carpenter JE, Pescador-Rubio A (2014) Trail marking by larvae of the cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum. J Insect Sci 14(64):1–15

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fitzgerald TD, Kelly M, Potter T, Carpenter JE, Rossi F (2015) Trail following response of larval Cactoblastis cactorum to 2-acyl-1, 3 cyclohexanediones. J Chem Ecol 41:409–417

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fitzgerald TD, Wolfin M, Young R, Meyer K, Fabozzi E (2016) Collectively facilitated behavior of the neonate caterpillars of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Insects 7:59–75

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Fitzgerald TD, Carpenter JE, Hight SD (2019) Larval pheromone disrupts pre-excavation aggregation of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) neonates precipitating colony collapse. Fla Entomol 102:538–543

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gunstone FD, Polard MR, Scrimgeour CM, Vedanayagam HS (1977) Fatty acids. Part 50. 13C nuclear magnetic resonance studies of olefinic fatty acids and esters. Chem Phys Lipid 18:115–129

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Habeck DH, Bennett FD (1990) Cactoblastis cactorum Berg (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), a phycitine new to Florida Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry. Entomol Circ 333:4

    Google Scholar 

  • Hight SD, Carpenter JE (2009) Flight phenology of male Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) at different latitudes in the south eastern United States. Fla Entomol 92:208–216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howard RW, Blake JE (2004) Stage-specific suticular lipids of Plodia interpunctella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Phycitinae): 2-acyl-1,3-cyclohexadiones from larval mandibular glands serve as cuticular lipids. Comp Biochem Physiol B 138:193–206

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mudd A (1978) Novel β-triketonos from Lepidoptera. J Chem Soc Chem Commun 23:1075–1076

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mudd A (1981) Novel 2-acylcyclohexane-1,3-diones in the mandibular glands of Lepidopteran larvae. J Chem Soc Trans 1:2357–2362

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mudd A (1983) Further novel 2-acylcyclohexane-1,3-diones from lepidopteran larvae. J Chem Doc Perkin Trans 1:2161–2164

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mudd A, Corbet SA (1982) Response of the ichneumonid parasite Nemeritis canescens to kairomones from the flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella. J Chem Ecol 8:843–850

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mudd A, Walters JHH, Corbert SA (1984) Relative kairomonal activities of 2-acyl cyclohexane-1,3 diones in elicting ovipositional behavior from parasite Nemeritis canescens (Grav.). J Chem Ecol 10:1597–1601

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pettey FW (1947) The biological control of prickly pears in South Africa Science Bulletin, Department of Agriculture of the Union of South Africa 271: 1–163

  • Pinto MEA, Araújo SG, Morais MI, Sá NP, Lima CM, Rosa CA, Siqueira EP, Johann S, Lima LARS (2017) Antifungal and antioxidant activity of fatty acid methyl esters from vegetable oils. An Acad Bras Cienc 89(3):1671–1681

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vegliante F, Hasenfuss I (2012) Morphology and diversity of exocrine glands inlepidopteran larvae. Ann Rev Entomol 57:187–204

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zimmermann H, Bloem S, Klein H (2004) History, threat, surveillance and control of the cactus Moth, Cactoblastis cactorum. IAEA, Vienna

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Colonies were maintained in the Cortland facility under APHIS permit P526P-09-00995. James Carpenter and Stephen Hight provided the egg masses of C. cactorum. This research was supported by grants from the USDA-APHIS and from the National Science Foundation (1337695). Katelyn Meyer and Ryan Young assisted in the conduction of the bioassays.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Cortland, Cortland, NY, 13045, USA

    Francis M. Rossi, Daniel Rojas, Danielle A. Cervasio, John Posillico & Kyle Parella

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Cortland, Cortland, NY, 13045, USA

    Danielle A. Cervasio & Terrence D. Fitzgerald

Authors
  1. Francis M. Rossi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Daniel Rojas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Danielle A. Cervasio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. John Posillico
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Kyle Parella
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Terrence D. Fitzgerald
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Terrence D. Fitzgerald.

Additional information

Communicated by Marko Rohlfs.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (DOCX 3277 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Rossi, F.M., Rojas, D., Cervasio, D.A. et al. Response of the neonate larvae of Cactoblastis cactorum to synthetic cactoblastins, a newly identified class of pheromonally-active chemicals found in the caterpillar’s mandibular glands. Chemoecology 30, 245–253 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00049-020-00314-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00049-020-00314-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation