Insects as a group occupy a middle ground in the biosphere between bacteria and viruses at one extreme, amphibians and mammals at the other. The size and general nature of insects present special problems to the student of entomology. For example, many commercially available instruments are geared to measure in grams, while the forces commonly encountered in studying insects are in the milligram range. Therefore, techniques developed in the study of insects or in those fields concerned with the control of insect pests are often unique. Methods for measuring things are common to all sciences. Advances sometimes depend more on how something was done than on what was measured; indeed a given field often progresses from one technique to another as new methods are discovered, developed, and modified. Just as often, some of these techniques find their way into the classroom when the problems involved have been suffi ciently ironed out to permit students to master the manipulations in a few lab oratory periods. Many specialized techniques are confined to one specific research laboratory. Although methods may be considered commonplace where they are used, in another context even the simplest procedures may save considerable time. It is the purpose of this series (1) to report new developments in methodology, (2) to reveal sources of groups who have dealt with and solved particular entomo logical problems, and (3) to describe experiments which may be applicable for use in biology laboratory co~rses.

Intraspecific communication involves the activation of chemoreceptors and subsequent activation of different central areas that coordinate the responses of the entire organism—ranging from behavioral modification to modulation of hormones release. Animals emit intraspecific chemical signals, often referred to as pheromones, to advertise their presence to members of the same species and to regulate interactions aimed at establishing and regulating social and reproductive bonds. In the last two decades, scientists have developed a greater understanding of the neural processing of these chemical signals. Neurobiology of Chemical Communication explores the role of the chemical senses in mediating intraspecific communication. Providing an up-to-date outline of the most recent advances in the field, it presents data from laboratory and wild species, ranging from invertebrates to vertebrates, from insects to humans. The book examines the structure, anatomy, electrophysiology, and molecular biology of pheromones. It discusses how chemical signals work on different mammalian and non-mammalian species and includes chapters on insects, Drosophila, honey bees, amphibians, mice, tigers, and cattle. It also explores the controversial topic of human pheromones. An essential reference for students and researchers in the field of pheromones, this is also an ideal resource for those working on behavioral phenotyping of animal models and persons interested in the biology/ecology of wild and domestic species.

Providing experimental methods and protocols for performing pheromone research in a variety of organisms ranging from invertebrates to vertebrates, Pheromone Signaling: Methods and Protocols covers a wide spectrum of experimental approaches necessary for handling pheromone molecules, measuring receptor response and neural activation, and analyzing behavioral output. A great deal of progress has been made in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying pheromone action, largely due to the discovery of receptor genes, the advancement of imaging techniques, and key multi-disciplinary approaches including aspects of organic chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, electrophysiology, and behavioral science. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips for troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Pheromone Signaling: Methods and Protocols details the key methodologies utilized in laboratories all over the world, making them accessible to those who want to begin investigation in the area of pheromone research.

Insect Pheromone Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Second Edition, provides an updated and comprehensive review of the biochemistry and molecular biology of insect pheromone biosynthesis and reception. The book ties together historical information with recent discoveries, provides the reader with the current state of the field, and suggests where future research is headed. Written by international experts, many of whom pioneered studies on insect pheromone production and reception, this release updates the 2003 first edition with an emphasis on recent advances in the field. This book will be an important resource for entomologists and molecular biologists studying all areas of insect communication. - Offers a historical and contemporary perspective, with a focus on advances over the last 15 years - Discusses the molecular and regulatory mechanisms underlying pheromone production/detection, as well as the evolution of these processes across the insects - Led by editors with broad expertise in the metabolic pathways of pheromone production and the biochemical and genetic processes of pheromone detection

This book explains how animals use chemical communication, emphasising the evolutionary context and covering fields from ecology to neuroscience and chemistry.

This book contains the proceedings of the "First International Symposium on Insect Pheromones," which was held at Wageningen, The Netherlands, from March 6 to March 11, 1994. Eighty participants from 17 countries attended the symposium, which turned out to be a unique forum for the exchange of the latest worldwide findings on insect pheromones, an opportunity to discuss and debate unsettled issues, and a mechanism to define new directions in pheromone research and foster interdisciplinary collaborations. The meeting comprised five sessions representing the breadth of disciplinary interest in pheromones, a typical charac teristic of this research area. In the sessions the following topics were presented: (1) control of pheromone production (organized by W. L. Roelofs), (2) sensory processing of pheromone signals (T. L. Payne), (3) neuroethology of pheromone mediated responses (T. C. Baker), (4) use of pheromones in direct control (A. K. Minks and R. T. Card6), and (5) evolution of pheromone communication (c. LOfstedt). All sessions started with a series of 30-minute lectures, after which ample time was reserved for discussion. In each session some participants were asked to serve as discussants and to initiate and stimulate discussion, and a rapporteur was recruited to make notes of these discussions and to summarize the general trends emerging from the session. The general program ming of the symposium was in the hands of R. T. Carde, A. K. Minks, and T. L. Payne.

Common among moths is a mate-finding system in which females emit a pheromone that induces males to fly upwind along the pheromone plume. Since the chemical pheromone of the domesticated silk moth was identified in 1959, a steady increase in the number of moth species whose pheromone attractants have been identified now results in a rich base for review and synthesis. Pheromone Communication in Moths summarizes moth pheromone biology, covering the chemical structures used by the various lineages, signal production and perception, the genetic control of moth pheromone traits, interactions of pheromones with host-plant volatiles, pheromone dispersal and orientation, male pheromones and courtship, and the evolutionary forces that have likely shaped pheromone signals and their role in sexual selection. Also included are chapters on practical applications in the control and monitoring of pest species as well as case studies that address pheromone systems in a number of species and groups of closely allied species. Pheromone Communication in Moths is an invaluable resource for entomologists, chemical ecologists, pest-management scientists, and professionals who study pheromone communication and pest management.