Metetrea属的掠夺性长腿苍蝇很重要,但是目前研究不足,Scolytinae树皮甲虫的天敌,例如Ipstypographus。Metetrea苍蝇在甲虫感染的树上产卵,发育中的幼虫在那里找到猎物,但是Metetrea用于定位受感染树木的化学线索目前尚不清楚。为了识别吸引美特雷亚的气味,欧洲的一个物种,通过I.typographus攻击挪威云杉(Piceaabies)原木的不同阶段,在几个时间点收集了顶部空间样品。使用组合的气相色谱和质谱(GC-MS)分析顶空样品,和气相色谱结合电触感检测(GC-EAD),以确定刺激M.signaticornis触角的化合物。发现M.signaticornis雄性和雌性的触角检测到(-)-顺式马鞭草醇,(+)-反式-马鞭草醇和莫兰烯醇,已知是由树皮甲虫产生的。马鞭草还观察到天线响应,异丙酚,α-pine烯氧化物,樟脑,pinocamphone,萜品烯-4-醇,myrtenal,冰片,α-松油醇,香叶基丙酮,和马鞭草酮,主要由微生物产生,和α-pine烯,α-芬烯,β-pine烯,樟脑,3-carene,柠檬烯,γ-萜品烯,和萜品油烯,已知的云杉树化合物。在田间试验中,测试了两种含有18种触角活性物质和两种其他化合物2-甲基-3-丁烯-2-醇和ipsdienol的合成混合物,我们在24小时内观察到了M.signaticornis的显着吸引力。这些有吸引力的混合物可以成为开发用于未来森林和害虫管理的Metetraa监测诱饵的基础。
Predatory long-legged flies of the genus Medetera are important, but currently understudied, natural enemies of Scolytinae bark beetles such as Ips typographus. Medetera flies lay eggs on beetle-infested trees, where the developing larvae find their prey, but the chemical cues used by Medetera to locate infested trees are currently unknown. To identify odors attracting Medetera signaticornis, a species in Europe, headspace samples were collected at several time-points through different stages of I. typographus attacks on logs of Norway spruce (Picea abies). The headspace samples were analyzed using combined gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and gas chromatography coupled with electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) to determine compounds that stimulate M. signaticornis antennae. Antennae of M. signaticornis males and females were found to detect (-)-cis-verbenol, ( +)-trans-verbenol and myrtenol, which are known to be produced by bark beetles. Antennal responses were also observed for verbenene, isoterpinolene, α-pinene oxide, camphor, pinocamphone, terpinene-4-ol, myrtenal, borneol, α-terpineol, geranyl acetone, and verbenone, which are primarily produced by microorganisms, and α-pinene, α-fenchene, β-pinene, camphene, 3-carene, limonene, γ-terpinene, and terpinolene, known spruce tree compounds. In field experiments testing two synthetic blends containing 18 antennal active and two additional compounds 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol and ipsdienol we observed significant attraction of M. signaticornis within 24 h. These attractive blends can form the basis for development of Medetera monitoring lures for use in future forest and pest management.