Plant-derived volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play pivotal roles in interactions with
insect herbivores. Individual VOCs can be directly toxic or deterrent, serve as signal …

Olfactory receptors (ORs) are the key elements of the molecular machinery responsible for
the detection of odors in insects. Since their initial discovery in Drosophila melanogaster at …

Insects detect their hosts or mates primarily through olfaction, and olfactory receptors (ORs)
are at the core of odorant detection. Each species has evolved a unique repertoire of ORs …

Sex pheromone receptors (PRs) are key players in chemical communication between
mating partners in insects. In the highly diversified insect order Lepidoptera, male PRs tuned …

Background Deciphering the molecular mechanisms mediating the chemical senses, taste,
and smell has been of vital importance for understanding the nature of how insects interact …

To better understand the olfactory mechanisms in a lepidopteran pest model species, the
cotton leafworm Spodoptera littoralis, we have recently established a partial transcriptome …

Background Plants under herbivore attack release volatiles that attract natural enemies, and
herbivores in turn avoid such plants. Whilst herbivore-induced plant volatile blends …

The tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is a widespread
devastating pest that develops on tomato and other economically important solanaceous …

The antenna is the main sensory organ of insects, housing different types of sensilla
dedicated to detect chemical cues, motion, humidity and temperature. Sensilla are divided …

The elaborate bipectinate antennae of male moths are thought to increase their sensitivity to
female sex pheromones, and so should be favoured by selection. Yet simple filamentous …