Pheromone

A chemical substance released by an organism that alters the behavior or physiology of other members of the same species. Pheromones transmit information between individuals without direct contact.

Chemical communication: The exchange of information through chemical substances released by organisms. Pheromones are signals within this broader form of communication.
Sex pheromone: A pheromone that attracts or changes the mating behavior of potential partners. These signals are among the best-studied pheromones and guide mate finding.
Bombykol: A sex pheromone released by female silkworm moths to attract males. Its identification established a landmark example of a chemically defined insect pheromone.
Kairomone: A chemical cue that benefits the organism detecting it while disadvantaging the organism that produced it. Unlike a pheromone, a kairomone carries information across species.
Pheromone identification: The process of isolating a chemical and demonstrating that it mediates communication between members of a species. A candidate must be linked to a natural source and a reproducible response.
Olfactory receptor: A sensory protein that detects odorant molecules and initiates signaling in olfactory neurons. Many pheromones trigger responses by binding receptors in the olfactory system.
Trail pheromone: A chemical signal deposited along a route to guide other members of a species. Social insects use trails to direct nestmates toward food and other destinations.
Queen mandibular pheromone: A blend of chemicals produced by honeybee queens that influences worker behavior and colony organization. It illustrates how one pheromone blend can affect several aspects of social life.
Allomone: A chemical signal that benefits its producer and affects an organism of another species. Allomones are interspecies signals, not communication among members of one species.
Pheromone bioassay: An experiment that measures an organism’s response to a candidate pheromone or chemical blend. Bioassays test whether a substance produces a specific behavioral or physiological effect.

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