Behavioural activity of pure chiral 3-octanol for the ants Myrmica scabrinodis Nyl. and Myrmica rubra L.

ABSTRACT. The mandibular glands of Myrmica ants contain, among other substances, 3-octanol, a chiral substance, 90% of it being the R -enantiomer in M. scabrinodis Nyl., ruhra L. and ruginodis Nyl. (Cammaerts et al. , 1985). Pure R and S 3-octanol has been prepared and tested on M. rubra and scabrinodis , workers. Both species react specifically only to the R enantiomer; in M. rubra this constituent arrests foragers briefly, and in M. scahrinodis it attracts them and incites them to walk more quickly. It is shown that, in M. scahrinodis , the naturally produced mixture of R and S 3-octanol (proportions of 9:1, v/v) is more active than the pure R enantiomer or a mixture of R and S 3-octanol (5:5 v/v).