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We present evidence that cerambycid species that are supposed mimics of vespid wasps also mimic their models in odor by producing spiroacetals, common constituents of vespid alarm pheromones. Adults of the North American cerambycids Megacyllene caryae (Gahan) and Megacyllene robiniae (Forster) are conspicuously patterned in yellow and black, and believed to be mimics of aculeate hymenoptera such as species of Vespula and Polistes. Adult males of M. caryae produce an aggregation-sex pheromone, but both sexes produce a pungent odor when handled, which was assumed to be a defensive response. Headspace aerations of agitated females of M. caryae contained 16 compounds that presented mass spectra characteristic of spiroacetals of eight distinct chemical structures, the dominant compound being (7E,2E)-7-ethyl-2-methyl-1,6-dioxaspiro[4.5]decane. Headspace samples of agitated males of M. caryae contained five of the same compounds, and with the same dominant compound. Females of M. robiniae produced six different spiroacetals, one of which was not produced by M. caryae, (2E,7E)-2-ethyl-7-methyl-1,6-dioxaspiro[4.5]decane, and five that were shared with M. caryae, including the dominant (2E,8E)-2,8-dimethyl-1,7-dioxaspiro[5.5]undecane. The latter compound was the sole spiroacetal produced by both males and females of a South American cerambycid species that also is thought to be a wasp mimic, Callisphyris apicicornis (Fairmaire & Germain). Preliminary work also has identified spiroacetals of similar or identical structure released by vespid wasps that co-occur with the Megacyllene species.

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Vespula germanica (F.) has a negative impact on agriculture, beekeeping, and tourism in Chile. Therefore, environmentally-friendly strategies need to be implemented to control this serious pest. The objective of this study was to evaluate the response of adults of V. germanica to different types of baits with acetic acid + isobutanol (AAIB) added. The selected baits were: blood and bone flour (BF), raspberry jam (RJ), and sweet condensed milk (CM). The trial was conducted in a severely infested site in central Chile. Mixtures were placed in bottle traps. All of the traps were monitored daily from Monday to Friday during 5 weeks, and rebaited every week. A randomized complete block design, with 12 treatments and 4 replicates was used. Captures of V. germanica and other social hymenopterans were identified and data were recorded; V. germanica individuals approaching the trap openings (= visits) were also counted. A number of 15,480 V. germanica individuals, which were mostly workers, were captured. The most attractive baits were CM and BF + 2 mL AAIB. Feeding baits attracted significantly more workers with increasing concentrations of chemicals (AAIB), and significantly more wasps than the feeding baits alone. Lesser captures occurred of Apis mellifera workers (1,046), while the preference trend differed from that observed for V. germanica in several treatments. A number of 854 Polistes buyssoni workers were captured, but no differences were found between treatments. In addition, a number of 466 V. germanica visited the traps, but the trend observed with captures only occurred in traps baited with BF + AAIB, whereas no preference trend was observed for mixtures with RJ and CM. The results indicate that these attracting baits can be used not only to massively and selectively capture and destroy adults of V. germanica, but also to develop feeding baits not attractive for A. mellifera.