Glucosinolates in oilseed rape (Brassica napus) and the incidence of pollen beetles (Meligethes aeneus)

During an early stage of migration into a field of oilseed rape in the spring of 1988, more pollen beetles were observed on the double-low variety, Ariana, than on the adjacent single-low varieties, Bienvenu and Mikado. More beetles were found on open flowers on terminal racemes than on yellow and green flower buds on lateral racemes. Five alkenyl, three indolyl and two aromatic glucosinolates were identified in the floral tissues of oilseed rape. The major compounds were progoitrin (2-OH, 3-butenyl) and glucobrassicanapin (4-pentenyl). There were no differences in the types and concentrations of glucosinolates present in the terminal and lateral racemes of any variety, and only small differences between single- and double-low varieties. Concentrations of glucosinolates in floral tissues of crops grown with a little nitrogen were twice those of well-fertilised crops. There was no association between the number and distribution of pollen beetles on plants and the amounts or types of glucosinolates present in floral tissues.     

Screening of natural products in the laboratory and the field for control of pollen beetles

Pollen beetles, Meligethes spp. (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), are among the most damaging pests of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.). Increasing populations of pyrethroid‐resistant pollen beetles coupled with the prohibition of synthetic pest control products in organic farming means that other direct control methods are needed. A laboratory study was therefore conducted to evaluate the effect of natural products, combinations of natural products and additives as well as natural and synthetic insecticides on mortality of pollen beetles. In addition, field trials under both integrated and organic production were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of six natural products, nine combinations of natural products, two synthetic insecticides (integrated‐production trials only), two natural insecticides and two additives to reduce pollen beetles. The laboratory trial, using both a curative and preventive approach, showed that two of the eight natural products (lavender oil and stone meal) caused a mortality of over 98% within the first day of application. The other natural products were only partially effective compared with the untreated control. In the field trials, the natural products reduced the number of pollen beetles 1 day after application compared with the untreated control in both trial years and production systems. Promising substances were stone meal, Silico‐Sec and liquid manure. Nevertheless, the efficacy was not consistent, and no effect on oilseed rape yield was observed. In spite of this, these products have the potential to control pollen beetles under field conditions with comparable effects to synthetic insecticides. Further research should therefore focus on timing and frequency of applications as well as on the formulation of the natural products to increase the persistency of the products under field conditions.     

The spatial dynamics of pollen beetles in relation to inflorescence growth stage of oilseed rape: implications for trap crop strategies

Semi‐field‐scale arrays of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) (Brassicaceae) plants were used to observe the development of distributions of pollen beetles (Meligethes aeneus Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) in a simulated trap crop system where inflorescence growth stage alone was used to manipulate the pest. Over two successive years, pairs of 1 m spaced square arrays of 100 glasshouse‐grown plants were placed 40 m apart in the field in May, and were subject to natural infestation by pollen beetles. The test plot of each pair had a simulated trap crop, with an outer row of plants at early flowering stage intended to protect more susceptible inner plants at late bud stage, and the control plot had all plants at the late‐bud stage, simulating a standard crop situation. Pollen beetles were counted daily on each plant for 10–13 days. The spatio‐temporal development of plot infestation was analysed in relation to the distribution of racemes in bud and raceme in flowers using Spatial Analysis by Distance IndicEs (SADIE), and tests of edge and centre distribution. Inflorescence growth stage characteristics were shown to be important in determining the spatial distributions of pollen beetles. In control plots, the numbers of racemes in bud and in flower were never edge or centre distributed. In test plots, racemes in flower were always edge distributed, and racemes in bud began edge distributed and became centre distributed. Pollen beetle numbers were usually spatially associated with the abundance of racemes in bud and/or in flower. In control plots, pollen beetles were neither edge nor centre distributed, but in test plots they maintained a significant edge distribution for 7–10 days. At the end of the experiments, females were more centre distributed in the test plots than males, and were more closely associated with racemes with buds, whereas males were more associated with racemes with flowers. In early flowering stage plants, the number of racemes in flowers were a good indicator of the abundance of racemes in buds, but this relationship was lost as flowering progressed. Although flowering racemes provide strong cues for immigrating pollen beetles, the abundance of buds may be a more important determinant of residence time, particularly for females, and is therefore a critical determinant of trap crop effectiveness.     

Laboratory and field response of the pollen beetle, Meligethes aeneus, to the odour of oilseed rape

Abstract. The behavioural response of adults of the pollen beetle, Meligethes aeneus F. (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), to the odour of one of their host-plants, oilseed rape ( Brassica napus L.), was observed in the laboratory using a fourarmed airflow olfactometer, and under semi-natural conditions using a markrelease–recapture technique. Oilseed rape leaf and flower odour was attractive to pollen beetles in the olfactometer and they dispersed upwind from the centre of a circular array (radius 20 m) of yellow water traps, baited with extracts of oilseed rape leaves or flowers. The dispersal of pollen beetles in the absence of oilseed rape odour was predominantly downwind and crosswind. The percentage recapture of pollen beetles was significantly greater in traps baited with rape flower extracts than leaf extracts. Pollen beetles can use odour-mediated upwind anemotaxis to locate oilseed rape plants from distances of at least 20 m over open ground.     

Responses to olfactory and visual cues by over-wintered and summer generations of the pollen beetle, Meligethes aeneus

Abstract.  Behavioural responses to odours of oilseed rape in bud and flower stage and to green and yellow colours are studied for the two main phenological stages of pollen beetles, Meligethes aeneus , a major pest of oilseed rape, Brassica napus . Over-wintered individuals oviposit in buds of oilseed rape. Adults of the new generation (i.e. the summer generation) feed on flowers of different plant species before over wintering. In olfactometer experiments, the over-wintered beetles display a higher preference for odour of oilseed rape at the bud stage compared with the summer generation, both with and without colour stimuli. Flower odours are preferred in combination with yellow colour. Colour stimuli presented alone do not affect the behaviour. The summer generation beetles respond to both bud and flower odour. Adding colour stimuli changes the summer generations preference towards yellow and flower odour.     

Do pollen beetles need pollen? The effect of pollen on oviposition,survival, and development of a flower‐feeding herbivore

Abstract.  1. Pollen is considered to be an important dietary component for many species of flower-feeding herbivores. Its influence on oviposition site selection by the pollen beetle Meligethes aeneus , and on the development of its larvae was investigated.
2. The effects of pollen presence and absence on adult, egg, and larval incidence in the field, and on larval development in the laboratory were compared through the use of Synergy, a composite hybrid oilseed rape Brassica napus variety comprising male-fertile (with pollen) and male-sterile (without pollen) plants.
3. In the field, adult females were more abundant on male-fertile plants during flowering, and a greater proportion of male-fertile than male-sterile buds were accepted for oviposition. These data indicate a possible role of pollen in oviposition site selection by female pollen beetles.
4. The numbers of first instar larvae on the two plant lines did not differ; however, more second instars were found on male-fertile than on male-sterile flowers. This suggests a greater larval survival on male-fertile plants, possibly due to the more readily available food resources and better nutrition afforded by the presence of pollen.
5. Laboratory experiments confirmed that a diet which included pollen improved survival to adulthood and resulted in heavier pupae and adults; however, pollen was not obligatory for larval survival and development.
6. The pollen beetle, previously thought to be an obligate pollen feeder, is therefore more generalist in its requirements for development. These findings may relate to the nutritional and behavioural ecology of other flower-feeding herbivores.     

Honey-bee-mediated Infection of Pollen Beetle (Meligethes aeneus Fab.) by the Insect-pathogenic Fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae

Pollen beetles (Meligethes aeneus) are pests that feed and oviposit in the buds and flowers of oilseed rape. Honey-bees foraging from a hive fitted with an inoculum dispenser at the entrance effectively delivered dry conidia of the entomogenous fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae , to the flowers of oilseed rape in caged field plots. In both winter- and spring-sown rape experiments, a greater mortality of pollen beetles occurred in treated plots than in control plots. The mortality (61% on winter rape, 100% on spring rape) was greatest during peak flowering, when the feeding activity of both bees and beetles from the flowers was maximal, providing optimal conditions for inoculum dissemination and infection. Conidial sporulation occurred on a significant proportion of the dead pollen beetles. There was no evidence of any adverse effect on the honey-bee colonies.     

Effects of host plant species on the interaction between the parasitic wasp Diospilus capito and pollen beetles (Meligethes spp.)

1 Field studies were conducted in central Sweden to establish whether two host plants with high and low suitability for pollen beetles (Meligethes aeneus Fabr. [Coleoptera: Nitidulidae] and Meligethes viridescens Fabr.) affected the parasitoid Diospilus capito Nees [Hymenoptera: Braconidae]. 2 Samples of larvae were taken from fields with plots of white mustard, Sinapis alba L. and spring rape, Brassica napus L. in 1997 and 1998. Levels of parasitism and the survival and size of D. capito were measured to determine any influence of the host plant species. Survival and weights of pollen beetles from S. alba and B. napus were also measured. 3 Levels of parasitism between 8% and 29% were recorded. There was a significantly higher likelihood of being parasitized by D. capito for beetle larvae developing on S. alba than on B. napus. We argue that semiochemical or morphological properties of plant species could be responsible for differential parasitism by D. capito. 4 Neither survival of D. capito nor parasitoid size differed from hosts developing on S. alba or B. napus. Pollen beetle emergence was the same for both plant species, but beetles that developed on S. alba weighed less than those from B. napus. Results suggest that the partial resistance of S. alba to the pollen beetle will have no negative effects on the parasitoid D. capito.     

Effects of thiacloprid,tau-fluvalinate and lambda-cyhalothrin on overwintered pollen beetles (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassicogethes aeneus</Emphasis> (Fabricius)) and their offspring in oilseed rape

To prevent damage by pollen beetles (Brassicogethes aeneus (Fabricius), syn. Meligethes aeneus (Fabricius)), frequent insecticide applications are often necessary. It would be an advantage if treatments for pollen beetle control would not only avoid yield losses by bud damage by overwintered pollen beetles, but also minimize pest reproduction, and also have side effects on the population development of other pests present in the crop. The effects of the neonicotinoid Biscaya (a.i. thiacloprid) and the pyrethroids Mavrik (tau-fluvalinate) and Karate Zeon (lambda-cyhalothrin) applied at different growth stages of winter oilseed rape on the abundance of overwintered pollen beetles were determined in field trials in Germany (2013–2015). In addition, effects on the two larval instars and new generation of adult pollen beetle were studied. Biscaya and Mavrik significantly reduced the number of overwintered pollen beetles up to seven days after application, whereas Karate Zeon had no effect. Application of Biscaya at the beginning of flowering resulted in a high mortality of L1-larvae in all years. The number of premature L1-larvae dropping down from the plants during the first week after application increased up to 425% compared to the control. The number of L2-larvae dropping down to the ground for pupation was significantly reduced by insecticide applications at different growth stages except for Karate Zeon. In Karate Zeon-treated plots, the number of L2-larvae dropping to the ground increased up to 42% compared to the control. In accordance with the reduced number of L2-larvae in Biscaya- and Mavrik-treated plots, fewer new-generation pollen beetles emerged in the field trials near Braunschweig, efficacy varying between 57 and 76% in Biscaya-treated plots and 32 and 57% in Mavrik-treated plots in 2014 and 2015, respectively. The results indicate that Mavrik, and especially Biscaya, are effective in controlling pollen beetles, reducing infestation pressure and thereby insecticide treatment frequency in following years.     

A study of the transport and deposition of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) pollen in east Fife, Scotland

It has been suggested that there is a link between the relatively recent expansion in the farming of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) and an increase in the incidence of respiratory illness in eastern Scotland. However, there is limited evidence of the extent to which one possible cause of this increased illness, the pollen of oilseed rape, is disseminated from fields of this crop. The present study used sedimentation traps and a portable volumetric air sampler to study the transport of pollen from rape fields in Fife, and the results confirmed the widely held view that most of the pollen travels only a short distance from its source. In this case relatively low quantities ofBrassica pollen were detected more than 200 m from fields of rape. This may have implications for the formulation of advice for those who appear to suffer from an allergic reaction to rape crops.     

The relative attractiveness of Brassica napus,B. rapa,B. juncea and Sinapis alba to pollen beetles

It is often suggested that weeds from the same family as the crop plant may increase insect pest damages by providing shelter and additional oviposition opportunities. We compared the relative attractiveness of Brassica rapa L., B. juncea L., Sinapis alba L. and B. napus L. (Capparales: Brassicaceae) to the pollen beetle and its hymenopteran parasitoids in field conditions. Our results revealed that none of the investigated plants increased the pest abundance on B. napus plants. On the contrary, B. juncea and S. alba lured beetles away from B. napus during its damage-susceptible stage. The parasitism rate of pollen beetle larvae was the highest on B. juncea plants, indicating that cruciferous weeds could improve the natural control of the pollen beetle by providing additional hosts for parasitoids. Therefore, close relatives of oilseed rape might be used to trap pollen beetle adults, but also to support populations of natural enemies that could decrease the number of beetles.     

Field oviposition rates and egg load dynamics of pollen beetles (Meligethes aeneus Fab.) (Colepotera: Nitidulidae)

Abstract 1 Egg loads from field collected pollen beetles (Meligethes aeneus Fab., Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) were determined by dissecting beetles caught at the beginning and end of the putative daily oviposition period. Field collected beetles were offered Brassica napus (L.) plants in cages for 8 (morning and early afternoon), 16 (overnight), and 24 h to ascertain the number of eggs laid during these time periods. 2 Most eggs were laid in the morning and early afternoon. The proportion of gravid females was higher at the beginning of the oviposition period than at the end. Most females in the morning carried two eggs, whereas one egg was more common in the afternoon. 3 We hypothesized that the number of eggs laid during the oviposition period would be equivalent to the difference between egg loads at the beginning and end of oviposition. This was not the case; differences in egg loads were significantly lower than number of eggs laid. However, the number of eggs laid was equivalent to the egg load at the beginning of the oviposition period, suggesting that eggs available in the morning are laid during the following day. 4 Population estimates of daily oviposition rates, approximately 0.7 eggs per beetle and day, were close to estimates from laboratory studies when the proportion of gravid females was taken into consideration.     

Infestation of commercial bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) field colonies by small hive beetles (Aethina tumida)

Abstract.  1. The small hive beetle, Aethina tumida , is a parasite of honeybee ( Apis mellifera ) colonies native to sub-Saharan Africa and has become an invasive species. In North America the beetle is now sympatric with bumblebees, Bombus , not occurring in its native range. Laboratory studies have shown that small hive beetles can reproduce in bumblebee colonies but it was not known whether infestations occur in the field.
2. For the first time, infestation of bumblebee colonies by small hive beetles was investigated in the field. Commercial Bombus impatiens colonies ( n = 10) were installed in proximity to infested apiaries. Within 8 weeks, all colonies that were alive in the 5-week observation period ( n = 9) became naturally infested with adult small hive beetles and successful small hive beetle reproduction occurred in five colonies.
3. In four-square choice tests, the beetles were attracted to both adult bumblebee workers and pollen from bumblebee nests, suggesting that these odours may serve as cues for host finding.
4. The data indicate that bumblebee colonies may serve as alternative hosts for small hive beetles in the field. To foster the conservation of these essential native pollinators, investigations on the actual impact of small hive beetles on wild bumblebee populations are suggested.     

Functional Invertebrate Prey Groups Reflect Dietary Responses to Phenology and Farming Activity and Pest Control Services in Three Sympatric Species of Aerially Foraging Insectivorous Birds

Farming activity severely impacts the invertebrate food resources of farmland birds, with direct mortality to populations of above-ground arthropods thorough mechanical damage during crop harvests. In this study we assessed the effects of phenological periods, including the timing of harvest, on the composition and biomass of prey consumed by three species of aerial insectivorous birds. Common Swifts Apus apus, Barn Swallows Hirundo rustica and House Martins Delichon urbica breed sympatrically and most of their diet is obtained from agricultural sources of invertebrate prey, especially from oil-seed rape crops. We categorized invertebrate prey into six functional groups, including oil-seed rape pests; pests of other arable crops; other crop-provisioned taxa; coprophilous taxa; and taxa living in non-crop and mixed crop/non-crop habitats. Seasonality impacted functional groups differently, but the general direction of change (increase/decrease) of all groups was consistent as indexed by prey composition of the three aerial insectivores studied here. After the oil-seed rape crop harvest (mid July), all three species exhibited a dietary shift from oil-seed rape insect pests to other aerial invertebrate prey groups. However, Common Switfts also consumed a relative large quantity of oil-seed rape insect pests in the late summer (August), suggesting that they could reduce pest insect emigration beyond the host plant/crop. Since these aerially foraging insectivorous birds operate in specific conditions and feed on specific pest resources unavailable to foliage/ground foraging avian predators, our results suggest that in some crops like oil-seed rape cultivations, the potential integration of the insectivory of aerial foraging birds into pest management schemes might provide economic benefits. We advise further research into the origin of airborne insects and the role of aerial insectivores as agents of the biological control of crop insect pests, especially the determination of depredation rates and the cascading effects of insectivory on crop damage and yield.     

Genetic diversity in pollen beetles (Meligethes aeneus) in Sweden: role of spatial,temporal and insecticide resistance factors

1 Pollen beetles Meligethes aeneus are pests of oilseed Brassica crops that are subject to intensive chemical control. Resistance to pyrethroids has been reported. Although this insect is of great economic importance, little is known about its genetic properties and population structure. 2 Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis with the restriction endonuclease combination EcoRI and PstI was performed on 133 samples of groups of three pollen beetles collected during 2001–04 from five different provinces of Sweden. Both susceptible and resistant insects were studied. Using one primer combination, more than 450 polymorphic DNA fragments were obtained and, in total, four primer combinations were used for analysis. A subsample of 59 single beetles was analysed using one primer combination. 3 AFLP profiles were analysed by similarity measures using the Nei and Li coefficient and Neighbour‐joining dendrograms were generated. The dendrogram built using 133 samples showed three distinct groups, each containing beetles representing one generation. Statistical analysis using analysis of molecular variance of single beetle samples showed no evidence of significant genetic difference between resistant and susceptible beetles. Instead, a clear difference between samples, depending on time of collection and generation, was observed. 4 The expected regional population structure, although statistically significant, explained little of the variation. The levels of genetic variation within populations were very high. There appears to be a high rate of gene flow between pollen beetle populations. The implications of this in the context of insecticide resistance are discussed.     

Effect of flower traits and hosts on the abundance of parasitoids in perennial multiple species wildflower strips sown within oilseed rape (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica napus</Emphasis>) crops

Reducing the use of insecticides is an important issue for agriculture today. Sowing wildflower strips along field margins or within crops represents a promising tool to support natural enemy populations in agricultural landscapes and, thus, enhance conservation biological control. However, it is important to sow appropriate flower species that attract natural enemies efficiently. The presence of prey and hosts may also guide natural enemies to wildflower strips, potentially preventing them from migrating into adjacent crops. Here, we assessed how seven flower traits, along with the abundance of pollen beetles (Meligethes spp., Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) and true weevils (Ceutorhynchus spp., Coleoptera: Curculionidae), affect the density of parasitoids of these two coleopterans in wildflower strips sown in an oilseed rape field in Gembloux (Belgium). Only flower traits, not host (i.e. pollen beetles and true weevils) abundance, significantly affected the density of parasitoids. Flower colour, ultraviolet reflectance and nectar availability were the main drivers affecting parasitoids. These results demonstrate how parasitoids of oilseed rape pests react to flower cues under field conditions. Similar analyses on the pests and natural enemies of other crops are expected to help to develop perennial flower mixtures able to enhance biological control throughout a rotation system.     

Impact of insecticides on oilseed rape bud infestation with eggs and larvae of pollen beetle (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassicogethes aeneus</Emphasis> (Fabricius))

One of the main insect pests in oilseed rape is the pollen beetle (Brassicogethes aeneus (Fabricius), syn. Meligethes aeneus). To maximize efficiency of control of this pest, insecticides are required that ideally, not just prevent yield losses by bud feeding of overwintered pollen beetles, but simultaneously minimize the reproduction of the pest, thereby reducing the size of the following generation infesting next year’s oilseed rape. The neonicotinoid active substance thiacloprid is known to reduce bud infestation with eggs and larvae. However, the mechanisms by which this occurs as well as the effects of other active substances are not known. In this study, the effects of the neonicotinoid insecticide Biscaya (a.i. thiacloprid) and the pyrethroids Mavrik (tau-fluvalinate) and Karate Zeon (lambda-cyhalothrin) applied at the bud stage of winter oilseed rape with recommended field rates on infestation of buds with eggs and larvae of pollen beetles were tested in field trials in Germany in 2013–2015. In additional greenhouse experiments, it was investigated whether effects on bud infestation were caused by lethal effects on pollen beetle or by insecticidal residues on plants causing sublethal effects. In the field trials, application of Biscaya and Mavrik significantly reduced the percentage of buds containing eggs and larvae in contrast to Karate Zeon. In 2014 and 2015, 14 days after application, bud infestation on the main raceme was reduced by 86 and 82%, respectively, in Biscaya-treated plots and by 51 and 71%, respectively, in Mavrik-treated plots compared to the untreated plots. In the greenhouse experiments, the lowest percentage of bud infestation with eggs and larvae was recorded on Biscaya-treated plants whereas on Mavrik-treated plants, there was no significant difference compared with the control. The results of the field trials show that Biscaya and Mavrik reduced oilseed rape bud infestation with eggs and larvae of pollen beetles primarily by lethal effects on overwintered pollen beetles or by repellency. However, Biscaya had additional effects on egg laying, which was supported by the greenhouse experiments.     

Relative attractiveness of Brassica napus, Brassica nigra, Eruca sativa and Raphanus sativus for pollen beetle (Meligethes aeneus) and their potential for use in trap cropping

Oilseed rape (Brassica napus) is a valuable crop, attacked by several insect pests, of which the pollen beetle (Meligethes aeneus) is one of the most widespread and important in Europe. The relative attractiveness for the pollen beetle of Brassica nigra, Eruca sativa and Raphanus sativus was compared with that of spring oilseed rape, to assess the potential of these plant species as trap crops for the pest. At early growth stages, B. nigra and R. sativus were more attractive to over-wintered adult pollen beetles than B. napus. At the bud and flowering stages, B. nigra was the most attractive while E. sativa was the least attractive. At flowering, B. nigra was more attractive for oviposition than the other species. Thus, of the species tested, B. nigra has the most potential as a prospective trap crop to protect spring oilseed rape before flowering when it is at its most vulnerable developmental phase, due to its faster development and its acceptability both for feeding and oviposition to overwintered pollen beetle adults. Raphanus sativus was accepted both for feeding and oviposition, but pollen beetle larvae failed to develop in its flowers; it therefore has the potential for use as a dead-end crop. At the end of the growing season, both E. sativa and R. sativus, as late-flowering species, attracted the new generation of pollen beetles and thereby have potential to extend the effectiveness of a trap-cropping system at this time.     

Pollen digestion by flower-feeding Scarabaeidae: protea beetles (Cetoniini) and monkey beetles (Hopliini)

Pollen protoplasm is very nutritious, but the hard and highly resistant outer wall (exine) of the pollen grain presents an obstacle that pollen-feeders must overcome to benefit from the valuable protoplasm. Pollen digestion in three pollen-eating scarab beetles, the green protea beetle Trichostetha fascicularis and two monkey beetle species, Peritrichia cinerea and Pachynema flavolineata, was investigated. Adult beetles were collected for observations of feeding mechanisms, scanning electron microscopy of mouthparts, and histological examination of gut contents. Serial sections of different regions along the gut were stained for different nutrients and examined to determine the appearance of the pollen grains and the removal of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids from the pollen. During feeding, beetles used dense brushes of setae on the tips of their maxillae to mop up nectar and sweep pollen into their mouths. Grains were ingested intact. Nutrients were effectively removed from the grains as they passed along the gut and most pollen grains in the hindgut were empty, with broken exines. All the beetles excreted the undigested exine. Comparison with other studies on pollen digestion by a variety of insect and vertebrate pollen-feeders suggests that digestive enzyme penetration of ingested pollen grains and exudation of the products of digestion is the most likely method used by these beetles.     

Divergent responses of two cereal aphids to previous infestation of their host plant

The role of pollen odour in resource location by the pollen beetle, Meligethes aeneus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), a pollen-feeding insect regarded as a pest of oilseed rape, Brassica napus L., (Brassicaceae) crops, was investigated in a linear track olfactometer. Both male and female beetles were attracted to the odour of whole oilseed rape flowers, indicating that these insects can locate their host plants using floral odours as cues. The attractive odour of flowers was found to emanate from all floral parts tested: the petals/sepals, the anthers, and from pollen itself. Therefore, at least part of the attractive odour of oilseed rape flowers emanates from pollen. Beetles were more attracted to floral samples containing anthers than those without anthers when these odours were directly compared in a choice-test, and this indicates that there were detectable differences between them. Anthers and pollen may therefore release distinctive odours that are quantitatively and/or qualitatively different from the odour of the rest of the flower. These experiments support the hypothesis that pollen-seeking insects use pollen odour cues to locate this food source.