Wind tunnel selection for an evolutionary change in pheromone blend ratio specificity in male moths

In moths the diversity of pheromone blends and their apparent roles in reproductive isolation suggests that chemical communication has evolved in response to selection. Using wildtype cabbage looper moths, we conducted a multiple generation, replicated wind tunnel experiment to investigate the impact of selection for a response to an altered pheromone blend (similar to that of a mutant cabbage looper moth). The percentage of male moths contacting the altered blend source improved in all three replicates, on average doubling after only two generations of selection.