Sex Pheromone of the Stable Fly: 1 Affect on Cuticular Hydrocarbons of Age, Sex, Species, and Mating 3

Abstract

The cuticular hydrocarbons from the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), varied considerably with age and sex. The amount of hydrocarbons, which are the female sex pheromone, increased until the female was 3 days old, then remained constant. The amount of a C ₂₃ , C ₂₅ and C ₂₇ hydrocarbons increased in the male with age reaching a peak of 4 days. The males transferred considerable quantities of the C ₂₅ hydrocarbon to the females during mating. Stomoxys nigra Macquart and S. calcitrans from Mauritius contained similar hydrocarbons to the United States strain of S. calcitrans .