Moths use pheromones for long-distance courtship, with
males detecting female signals from 6 miles away. In 1959,
Adolf Butenandt identified bombykol, a pheromone
that triggers male moths' flutter dance. Pheromones also play roles in
reproduction, food tracking, and predator awareness across species. The McClintock
effect, suggesting human pheromonal influence on menstrual
cycles, remains controversial.
Long-Distance
Communication in Moths
Courtship in
moths begins from miles away. Female moths release chemical signals
detectable by males from 6 miles (10 km) away.
Discovery of
Bombykol
- In 1959, Adolf Butenandt
extracted a chemical from 500,000 female oriental silkworm moths.
- This chemical, named bombykol,
caused males to perform a “flutter dance.”
- He categorized these chemical
signals as pheromones, which trigger responses in the same species.
Pheromones in Other
Organisms
Pheromones play
vital roles in:
- Reproduction – Queen bees use pheromones to
attract mates.
- Alarm Signals – Ants leave pheromone trails
to food sources.
- Predator Awareness – Some species detect threats
through chemical signals.
How Pheromones Are
Detected
- Insects – Olfactory receptors on
antennae detect pheromones.
- Mammals, Reptiles, Amphibians – Pheromones are detected by
the vomeronasal organ (VNO) at the base of the nasal septum.
The McClintock
Effect and Human Pheromones
- In 1971, Martha
McClintock observed menstrual cycle synchronization among college
women.
- She hypothesized pheromonal
influence but later studies challenged the validity of the
effect.
- The existence of pheromones
in humans and the VNO in adults remains debated.
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