Attraction of the German Cockroach, Blattella germanica (Orthoptera: Blatellidae), to Some Volatile Food Components

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Abstract
Visits to two feeding stations by individuals from a growing population of Blattella Germanica (L.) were enumerated, aided by a closed-circuit video system. The control station contained a pellet of a dry dog food diet only, whereas the other station-contained, in addition, a sample of a food component being tested for its ability to attract. Observation were recorded for 6 h per test, with each candidate substance tested once at each station. A positive response was tallied each time an individual entered the test station, and a negative response for each entry to the control station. Of the 30 substances tested, only 4 elicited 60% or more positive responses: oleyl alcohol, palmitic acid, fenugreek seed alcohol extract, and elaidic acid methyl ester. These substances were reevaluated by using a two-choice olfactometer. In these further tests cockroaches could follow one of two air flows towards its origin after one flow had passed through a source of the candidate substance. All latter tests demonstrated independence.

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