Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Synergistic attraction of kleptoparasitic flies, Desmometopa spp. (Diptera: Milichiidae) to two vespid venom volatiles, trans-conophthorin and N-(3-methylbutyl)acetamide

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
Chemoecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Spiroacetals such as E-7-methyl-1,6-dioxaspiro[4,5]decane (trans-conophthorin; tC) and acetamides [predominantly N-(3-methylbutyl)acetamide; N3MBA], are two major groups of volatiles discovered in venoms of many Vespidae. In the course of testing the attractiveness of tC and N3MBA to Vespidae using Rescue® Wasp TrapStiks, a significant number of female milichiids, Desmometopa nearctica Sabrosky and D. sordida (Fallén) (Diptera: Milichiidae) were trapped as well. However, the attraction of vespid wasps was not significant at the dosages tested. We found a significant synergistic effect of tC and N3MBA in attracting Desmometopa flies. Both D. nearctica and D. sordida are kleptoparasitic species; and we conclude that females of these two milichiid flies use tC and N3MBA (and likely other volatiles) released from venom glands of the social vespids (yellowjackets, paper wasps and hornets) as kairomones to locate disturbed, injured, or freshly killed insects (vespids and/or their prey) as a protein-rich food source for egg development and production.

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

References

  • Albu V (2006) Kleptoparasitism, a very unusual relationship between a spider, its bee prey and some clever, opportunistic flies. Entomol Rom 11:87–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck JJ, Higbee BS (2015) Plant-or fungal-produced conophthorin as an important component of host plant volatile-based attractants for agricultural lepidopteran insect pests. In: Maienfisch P, Stevenson TM (eds) Discovery and Synthesis of Crop Protection Products. ACS Publications, Washington D. C, pp 111–127

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Browne LB (2001) Quantitative aspects of the regulation of ovarian development in selected anautogenous Diptera: integration of endocrinology and nutrition. Entomol Exp Appl 100:137–149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bruschini C, Cervo R (2011) Venom volatiles of the paper wasp social parasite Polistes sulcifer elicit intra-colonial aggression on the nest of the host species Polistes dominulus. Insectes Soc 58:383–390

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bruschini C, Cervo R, Turillazzi S (2006a) Evidence of alarm pheromones in the venom of Polistes dominulus workers (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Physiol Entomol 31:286–293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bruschini C, Dani FR, Pieraccini G, Guarna F, Turillazzi S (2006b) Volatiles from the venom of five species of paper wasps (Polistes dominulus, P. gallicus, P. nimphus, P. sulcifer and P. olivaceus). Toxicon 47:812–825

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chapin M, Schneidmiller RG, Zhang Q-H (2014) Pillar device for insect visual attractant. U.S. Patent No. D700,269S

  • Chapin M, Zhang Q-H, Schneidmiller RG (2020) Insect trap with bird guards. U.S. Patent No. D873,949S

  • Cheng Y-N, Wen P, Dong S-H, Tan K, Nieh JC (2017) Poison and alarm: the Asian hornet Vespa velutina uses sting venom volatiles as an alarm pheromone. J Exp Biol 220:645–651

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dani F, Jeanne R, Clarke S, Jones G, Morgan E, Francke W, Turillazzi S (2000) Chemical characterization of the alarm pheromone in the venom of Polybia occidentalis and of volatiles from the venom of P. sericea. Physiol Entomol 25:363–369

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eisner T, Eisner M, Deyrup M (1991) Chemical attraction of kleptoparasitic flies to heteropteran insects caught by orb-weaving spiders. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 88:8194–8197

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Elmquist DC, Landolt PJ, Cooper WR, Reed H, Foutz J, Clepper T, Kacprzyk B, Teig D, Zack RS (2020) The venom compound N-(3-methylbutyl) acetamide attracts several Polistes (Fuscopolistes) species (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). J Econ Entomol 113:1073–1079

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Francke W, Kitching W (2001) Spiroacetals in insects. Curr Org Chem 5:233–251

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Francke W, Hindorf G, Reith W (1978) Methyl-1, 6-dioxaspiro [4.5] decanes as odors of Para-vespula vulgaris (L.). Angew Chem Int Ed 17:862–862

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heath R, Landolt P (1988) The isolation, identification and synthesis of the alarm pheromone of Vespula squamosa (Drury)(Hymenoptera: Vespidae) and associated behavior. Experientia 44:82–83

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heiduk A, Kong H, Brake I, von Tschirnhaus M, Tolasch T, Tröger A, Wittenberg E, Francke W, Meve U, Doetterl S (2015) Deceptive Ceropegia dolichophylla fools its kleptoparasitic fly pollinators with exceptional floral scent. Front Ecol Evol 3:66. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2015.00066

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heiduk A, Brake I, von Tschirnhaus M, Göhl M, Jürgens A, Johnson SD, Meve U, Dötterl S (2016) Ceropegia sandersonii mimics attacked honeybees to attract kleptoparasitic flies for pollination. Curr Biol 26:2787–2793

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jeanne RL (1981) Alarm recruitment, attack behavior, and the role of the alarm pheromone in Polybia occidentalis (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 9:143–148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kondo T, Brake I, López KI, Korytkowski CA (2010) Report of Milichiella lacteipennis Loew (Diptera: Milichiidae), attracted to various crushed bugs (Hemiptera: Coreidae & Pentatomidae). Boletín Del Museo De Entomología De La Universidad Del Valle 11:16–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Landolt PJ, Akre RD (1979) Occurrence and location of exocrine glands in some social Vespidae (Hymenoptera). Ann Entomol Soc Am 72:141–148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Landolt P, Heath R (1987) Alarm pheromone behavior of Vespula squamosa (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Florida Entomol 70:222–225

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Landolt P, Zhang Q-H (2016) Discovery and development of chemical attractants used to trap pestiferous social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). J Chem Ecol 42:655–665

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell RF, Curkovic T, Mongold-Diers JA, Neuteboom L, Galbrecht H-M, Tröger A, Bergmann J, Francke W, Hanks LM (2017) Evidence that cerambycid beetles mimic vespid wasps in odor as well as appearance. J Chem Ecol 43:75–83

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Noushini S, Park SJ, Jamie I, Jamie J, Taylor P (2020) Rectal gland exudates and emissions of Bactrocera bryoniae: chemical identification, electrophysiological and pheromonal functions. Chemoecol 31:1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Oelschlägel B, Nuss M, von Tschirnhaus M, Pätzold C, Neinhuis C, Dötterl S, Wanke S (2015) The betrayed thief–the extraordinary strategy of Aristolochia rotunda to deceive its pollinators. New Phytol 206:342–351

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Post DC, Jeanne RL (1983) Venom source of a sex pheromone in the social wasp Polistes fuscatus (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). J Chem Ecol 9:259–266

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Renner SS (2006) Rewardless flowers in the angiosperms and the role of insect cognition in their evolution. In: Waser NM, Ollerton J (eds) Plant-pollinator interactions: from specialization to generalization. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, pp 123–144

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruxton GD, Sherratt TN, Speed MP (2004) Avoiding attack: the evolutionary ecology of crypsis, warning signals and mimicry. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Sabrosky CW (1983) A synopsis of the world species of Desmometopa Loew (Diptera: Milichiidae). Contr Am Entomol Inst 19:1–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Sivinski J, Marshall S, Petersson E (1999) Kleptoparasitism and phoresy in the Diptera. Florida Entomol 82:179–197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turillazzi S (2006) Polistes venom: a multifunctional secretion. Ann Zool Fenn 43:488–499

    Google Scholar 

  • Weston RJ, Woolhouse AD, Spurr EB, Harris RJ, Suckling DM (1997) Spiroacetals and other venom constituents as potential wasp attractants. J Chem Ecol 23:553–568

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Q-H, Aldrich JR (2004) Attraction of scavenging chloropid and milichiid flies (Diptera) to metathoracic scent gland compounds of plant bugs (Heteroptera: Miridae). Environ Entomol 33:12–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Q-H, Tolasch T, Schlyter F, Francke W (2002) Enantiospecific antennal response of bark beetles to spiroacetal (E)-conophthorin. J Chem Ecol 28:1839–1852

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Q-H, Schneidmiller RG, Chapin M, Hastings SA (2015) Insect visual attractant. U.S. Patent No. 9,015,988

  • Zhang Q-H, Chapin M, Schneidmiller RG (2021) Pillar device for adhesive insect capture with bird guards. U.S. Patent No. 10,980,224

Download references

Acknowledgements

We (Q-HZ and JRA) would like to dedicate this paper to the late Prof. Wittko Francke (1940-2020) for his life-time dedication and contributions to chemical ecology research in general, especially his legendary discovery of spiroacetals, including trans-conophthorin, as a new class of insect pheromones or semiochemicals. We thank Michele Touchet and Lucrecia Rodriguez (Systematic Entomology Laboratory, Communications and Taxonomic Services) for facilitating the delivery and reporting of the milichiid specimens identified by Norrbom. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the USDA. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Funding

No specific funding was involved.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sterling International, Inc., 3808 N. Sullivan Rd, Building 16, Spokane, WA, 99216, USA

    Qing-He Zhang, Doreen R. Hoover, Darby R. McMillian, Guiji Zhou, Armenak Margaryan & Dewayne O. Welshons

  2. Systematic Entomology Laboratory, USDA-ARS, c/o National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, P.O. Box 37012-0168, Washington, DC, 20013-7012, USA

    Allen L. Norrbom

  3. Associate of the Entomology and Nematology Department, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    Jeffrey R. Aldrich

  4. Jeffrey R. Aldrich Consulting LLC, Marcell, MN, 56657, USA

    Jeffrey R. Aldrich

Authors
  1. Qing-He Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Doreen R. Hoover
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Darby R. McMillian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Guiji Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Armenak Margaryan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Dewayne O. Welshons
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Allen L. Norrbom
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Jeffrey R. Aldrich
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Conceptualization: Q-HZ, DRH. Methodology: Q-HZ, DRH, GZ, AM, DOW. Formal analysis and investigation: Q-HZ, DRH, DRM, ALN. Writing—original draft preparation: Q-HZ, DRH. Writing—review and editing: Q-HZ, DRH, DRM, JRA, ALN, GZ, DOW, AM. Supervision: Q-HZ.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Qing-He Zhang.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Ethical approval

No specific ethics certification was required for this research.

Consent for participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Additional information

Communicated by Marko Rohlfs.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhang, QH., Hoover, D.R., McMillian, D.R. et al. Synergistic attraction of kleptoparasitic flies, Desmometopa spp. (Diptera: Milichiidae) to two vespid venom volatiles, trans-conophthorin and N-(3-methylbutyl)acetamide. Chemoecology 32, 89–94 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00049-021-00365-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00049-021-00365-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation