Chemical Ecology of Astigmatid Mites XXXII.2-Hydroxy-6-methyl-benzaldehyde, the Sex Pheromone of the Brown-Legged Grain Mite Aleuroglyphus ovatus(TROUPEAU)(Acarina:Acaridae)

Abstract
The female sex pheromone of the brown-legged grain mite Aleuroglyphus ovatus was identified as 2-hydroxy-6-methyl-bezaldehyde (2, 6-HMBD), which sexually stimulated males to copulate. Neither the crude hexane extract nor the fractions partially separated by a silica gel column demonstrated activity; the sex pheromone was masked by the alarm pheromonal activity of citral present in the extract. The fact that 2, 6-HMBD was the major component in the adult extracts, and a minor component in the nymphal stage extract, suggested its pheromonal role among adults. The activity was elicited when 2, 6-HMBD was carefully isolated by TLC and/or LC. synthetic 2, 6-HMBD elicited the same sexual response as that demonstrated with the isolated natural pheromone.

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