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Aggregation Agents in German Cockroach Blattella germanica: Examination of Efficacy

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Abstract

Aggregation behavior and reduced locomotory activity in the German cockroach is known to be caused by chemical compounds in the feces. The attractive and/or arrestant efficacy of three relevant substances was tested in first instars by a two-choice aggregation test and in adults with a locomotion compensator apparatus that allows quantification of taste-directed orientation and walking speed as a function of antennal stimulation. The three substances tested were a feces crude extract; a mixture of six carboxylic acids (mix G) out of a total of 29 that were identified in the feces extract and tested as single compounds and in various combinations; and a steroid glucoside denoted as blattellastanoside A, which has been suggested as an aggregation arrestant pheromone in Blattella germanica. With both of our test methods, feces extract and mix G proved to be very attractive, whereas the effects of blattellastanoside A were, if anything, very poor. Possible reasons for discrepancies are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Central Research, Bayer AG, 51368, Leverkusen, Germany

    Jürgen Scherkenbeck, Günther Nentwig, Karl Justus, Jürgen Lenz & Daniel Gondol

  2. Zoological Institute, University of Cologne, Weyertal 119, D-50923, Köln, Germany

    Gernot Wendler, Martin Dambach, Frank Nischk & Christa Graef

Authors
  1. Jürgen Scherkenbeck
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  2. Günther Nentwig
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  3. Karl Justus
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  4. Jürgen Lenz
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  5. Daniel Gondol
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  6. Gernot Wendler
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  7. Martin Dambach
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  8. Frank Nischk
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  9. Christa Graef
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Scherkenbeck, J., Nentwig, G., Justus, K. et al. Aggregation Agents in German Cockroach Blattella germanica: Examination of Efficacy. J Chem Ecol 25, 1105–1119 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020885926578

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