KUKU

KU ScholarWorks

  • myKU
  • Email
  • Enroll & Pay
  • KU Directory
    • Login
    View Item 
    •   KU ScholarWorks
    • Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
    • Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Scholarly Works
    • View Item
    •   KU ScholarWorks
    • Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
    • Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Scholarly Works
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Sniffing by a silkworm moth: Wing fanning enhances air penetration through and pheromone interception by antennae

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    2977.58.pdf (190.0Kb)
    Issue Date
    2000-10
    Author
    Loudon, Catherine
    Koehl, M. A. R.
    Publisher
    COMPANY OF BIOLOGISTS LTD
    Type
    Article
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    Many organisms increase the air or water flow adjacent to olfactory surfaces when exposed to appropriate chemical stimuli; such 'sniffing' samples fluid from a specific region and can increase the rate of interception of odorant molecules. We used hot-wire anemometry, high-speed videography and flow visualization to study air flow near the feathery olfactory antennae of male silkworm moths (Bombyx mori L,), When exposed to conspecific female sex pheromone, male B, mori flap their wings through a stroke angle of 90-110 degrees at approximately 40 Hz without flying. This behavior generates an unsteady flow of air (mean speed 0.3-0.4 m s(-1)) towards the antennae from the front of the male. A pulse of peak air speed occurs at each wing upstroke. The Womersley number (characterizing the damping of pulsatile flow through the gaps between the sensory hairs on the antennae) is less than 1; hence, pulses of faster air (at 40 Hz) should move between sensory hairs. Calculation of flow through arrays of cylinders suggest that this wing fanning can increase the rate of interception of pheromone by the sensory hairs on the antennae by at least an order of magnitude beyond that in still air. Although wing fanning produces air flow relative to the antennae that is approximately 15 times faster than that generated by walking at top speed (0.023 m s(-1)), air flow through the gaps between the sensory hairs is approximately 560 times faster because a dramatic increase in the leakiness of the feathery antennae to air flow occurs at the air velocities produced by fanning.
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/1808/1737
    Collections
    • Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Scholarly Works [1516]
    Citation
    Loudon, C; Koehl, MAR. Sniffing by a silkworm moth: Wing fanning enhances air penetration through and pheromone interception by antennae. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY. OCT 2000. 203(19): 2977-2990.

    Items in KU ScholarWorks are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.


    We want to hear from you! Please share your stories about how Open Access to this item benefits YOU.


    Contact KU ScholarWorks
    785-864-8983
    KU Libraries
    1425 Jayhawk Blvd
    Lawrence, KS 66045
    785-864-8983

    KU Libraries
    1425 Jayhawk Blvd
    Lawrence, KS 66045
    Image Credits
     

     

    Browse

    All of KU ScholarWorksCommunities & CollectionsThis Collection

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    Statistics

    View Usage Statistics

    Contact KU ScholarWorks
    785-864-8983
    KU Libraries
    1425 Jayhawk Blvd
    Lawrence, KS 66045
    785-864-8983

    KU Libraries
    1425 Jayhawk Blvd
    Lawrence, KS 66045
    Image Credits
     

     

    The University of Kansas
      Contact KU ScholarWorks
    Lawrence, KS | Maps
     
    • Academics
    • Admission
    • Alumni
    • Athletics
    • Campuses
    • Giving
    • Jobs

    The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression and genetic information in the University’s programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Director of the Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access, IOA@ku.edu, 1246 W. Campus Road, Room 153A, Lawrence, KS, 66045, (785)864-6414, 711 TTY.

     Contact KU
    Lawrence, KS | Maps