EVIDENCE OF THE SEX PHEROMONE OF Hermetia illucens (DIPTERA: STRATYOMIDAE)

Abstract

The fly Hermetia illucens L., 1758 is recognized for its ecological importance, mainly in agricultural, forensic chemistry and waste management, using larval insects. The objective of this work was to analyze the compounds present in the female reproductive system and to test their bioactivity to conspecific males. Initially, the reproductive apparatus of virgin females were extracted and immersed in HPLC grade hexane (200 µL per structure) in 5 replications, and the extracts were stored in a freezer at - 20 oC. Attractiveness analyzes of males to females extract were performed by bioassays using glass “Y” olfactometer, 3 cm in diameter, 35 cm long the main arm and two arms 15 cm each, coupled in a continuous air system. 0.5 L / min. In the electroantenography technique, 5 1-day-old virgin male insects were used, using a gas chromatogram (CG), with column RTX-5 (Restek ©), coupled to the electroantenograph (CG-EAG). The electrodes were connected to an amplifier where the antenna responses consisted of the potential difference in the electrodes after the perception of the compounds separated by the chromatograph. For the structural elucidation of the bioactive compounds, extracts analysis were performed by GC coupled to the mass spectrometer equipped with a RTX-5 capillary column (Restek ©), Kovats indexes were calculated, and the mass spectra were analyzed and compared with the literature. In the olfactometer bioassays 70% of the tested males were attracted to the female extract. In the CG-EAG tests it was observed that 6 compounds of virgin female extract were bioactive for virgin male antennas. Extract analysis indicate that bioactive compounds have functional groups such as carboxylic acids and hydrocarbons, with long saturated and unsaturated carbon chain. The data observed are from ongoing research, and have shown us to be promising for the study of the chemical ecology of this insect.