Revisiting Tribolium castaneum attraction and chemical ecology

Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is one of the major worldwide pests of stored products. Current trapping and monitoring systems use 4,8-dimethyl decanal as the Tribolium aggregation pheromone. A more complete understanding of their chemical ecology will increase trapping efficiency. Many beetle species have complex chemical communication systems to aggregate for mating and resource acquisition. Over their lifetime Tribolium have different needs and follow different cues related to density and resource availability. Through bioassay, electrophysiology and volatile analysis we showed that beetles reacted to different cues, responded to specific chemicals and determined how those chemicals change throughout their lives. Chemicals that synergize attraction at certain ratios are repellent at other ratios and beetles reacted differently based on developmental factors.