Odorants, attractancy

Pierce, A.A. and Ferkin, M.H. (2005) Re-feeding and the restoration of odor attractivity, odor preference, and sexual receptivity in food-deprived female meadow voles. Physiol. Behav. 84, 553-561. 

Clethrionomys clareolus, and wood mice, Apodemus sylvaticus, near Munich. Immature animals entered male-scented, female-scented, and control traps equally often, while male odor attracted adult males and female odor attracted adult females (Baumler and Hock, 1987). 

Derby, C.D. and Atema, J., Induced host odor attraction in the pea crab Pinnotheres maculatus, Biol. Bull., 158, 26, 1980. 

Sexual behavior is comprised of the three components attractivity, proceptivity, and receptivity. Previous work has shown that a meadow vole s odor attractivity to the opposite sex is positively correlated with the amount of protein in the diet that it consumed. We determined whether protein content of a male vole s diet (high, medium, or low) affected proceptivity and receptivity of a female vole. The protein content of the diet of male voles did not affect female proceptivity or receptivity. These findings suggest that the protein content of a male s diet may affect a female s initial interest in a male but not whether she will mate with him. 

TESTOSTERONE CONTROLS MALE ODOR PREFERENCES FOR FEMALES AND THE PRODUCTION OF MALE ODORS ATTRACTIVE TO FEMALES... 

Like other voles, especially those from cyclic populations (Hansson Jaarola, 1989 Mihok Boonstra, 1992), water voles rarely breed in captivity. Because of this, our data on the potential influence of individual odor preferences on female reproduction was insufficient for analysis. A total of 40 litters sired by 30 males (27 females) were obtained during this study. Among them, 23 litters were sired by 16 males (17 females) whose odor attractiveness had been measured. A male s attractiveness was subsequently calculated as an average score (time of odor investigation) from several tests with different females (from 1 to 5, median of 3), usually other than their mates. All males were tested for social rank. In several litters, pup weight either at birth or at the 21st day postpartum was not measured. 

Isopentylacetate (CH3)2CH-CH2-CH2-0-C0-CH3, M, 130, the most effective alarm pheromone (see Pheromones) of the honey bee. It is synthesized in the glandular tissue of the sting palps, and is released when the bee stings. Its odor attracts other bees. 

Valeriana oils (and valerianic and isovalerianic acids) and nepeta oUs (and nepetalactones) are well-known feline-attractant oils. Their odor attracts male cats. 

The literature on potential host-community location by parasitoids (Vinson, 1981), like that for phytophagous species (Beroza and Jacobson, 1963), is full of anecdotal evidence of plant odors attracting insects. However, plant odors consist of complex mixtures (Schoonhoven, 1968) of which few have been isolated and identified as releasers of parasitoid behavior. 

---