Pheromones are generally produced by insects in submicrogram amounts which makes it difficult to elucidate their chemical structures. Synthetic approaches are therefore necessary for the unambiguous identification of these natural products.
One of the various ways to deploy pheromones during storage of food commodities.
Butterflies use structurally highly diverse volatile compounds for communication, in addition to visual signals. These compounds originate from plants or a formed de novo especially by male butterflies that possess specific scent organs.
Terpene volatile messengers are widespread among animals. New discoveries have been made about the role and independent evolution of pathways and enzymes in animal terpene biosynthesis, especially in the large group of insects.
A secondary electrospray ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry system and a portable membrane inlet mass spectrometer have been used for the first time to detect and monitor insect sex pheromones, both qualitatively and quantitatively.