INSECTS’ SENSORY
SYSTEM &
BEHAVIOR
By: Ummi Nur Afinni D.J., M.Pd.
Differentiate host
(plant/animal),
Ability to sense & distinguish
Success of insect interpret their microclimatic
surrounding factors (humidity,
air flow,
temperature)
Environmental cues
Function: growth &
in a form of energy
reproduction
(light, heat, kinetic)
Sensory structure use:
Message in the form of a nerve
impulse
The central nervous system so
appropriate response can be
initiated
Use energy to work (generate a
message that can be conducted
to a decoding area)
Mechanoreception
Definition Include Location
• The sense that allow • Physical orientation • Integument
insects to detect their (body position) • Internal organs
mechanical • Acceleration
environments/stimuli
• Vibration
physical contact with
• Sound
solid surfaced
• Displacement
(touching & being
touched)
Arthropod
Mechanoreceptors
Type I Type II
• Cuticular • Nonciliated neurons
• Cilliated receptors • Central bodies have
associated with the many fine dendritic
cuticle endings
• Have their nerve cell mechanosensitive but
bodies in the lacks detailed
periphery structures seen in
Type I receptors
• Found in many
internal structure. Ex.:
musculature
Insect Mechanoreceptors
Insect Mechanoreceptors
Found on the outer surface in Found particularly in compact
the form of long, thin hairs; groups near the joints detect
short pegs and scales stress in the cuticle
Can contain
additional
sensory
neurons
chemoreceptors
in taste hairs or
thermoreceptors
Mostly located on the Generally found further beneath the
tarsal segment of the legs,
integument by attachment structures
antennae & mouthparts
hearing and joint movement detection
Mechanical
Stimuli Mechanoreception
Tactile
(hair sensilla)
Tubular body of
sensory neuron has a
large number of
microtubules roles in
the development and
structural maintenance
of the sensilla
Outer sheath cell
membrane-producing
cell maintaining
appropriate ionic &
molecular environment
Generative hair cell
for stimulus
transduction &
conduction by the
dendrites
Mechanical Stimuli
Position Mechanoreception (campaniform sensilla)
• Sense organs able to responds continuously to deformation
(changes in length) & stresses (tensions and compressions) in
the body
1.
• Provide an organism with information on posture and position
2.
• 5 types proprioceptors in insect hair plates; campaniform
sensilla; chordonotal organs; stretch receptors & nerve nets
3.
Mechanical Stimuli
Position Mechanoreception (hair plate)
Mechanical Stimuli
Position Mechanoreception (hair plate & campaniform sensilla)
Serves as a
stretch/compression
sensor
Mechanical Stimuli
Position Mechanoreception (chordonotal receptors)
Mechanical Stimuli
Position Mechanoreception (stretch receptor)
Signal Detection by Mechanoreceptor
From stretching of the membrane & the
opening of transduction (stretch-activated)
channels includi specific protein that serve as
“gates”
Transduction
• Deformation of the • Transfer of
sensory neuron’s • The generation of information from the
dendritic membrane the receptor sensillum to the CNS
(generator) current
Coupling When the gates
Encoding
opened, K+ ions rush
By movement of the in from the extra- A train of action
hair in its socket; dendritic space, potential induced by
inward movement of creating the receptor the receptor current
cuticular dome in current
campaniform form or
stretching of the
chordonotal sensillum
Sound
Stimuli
Non-tympanal
vibration reception
chordonotal organs
Sound Stimuli
Tympanal sound reception
Thermal Stimuli
Behavioral
(ectothermy)
basking
Thermoregulation
Physiological
(Endothermy)
Thermal Stimuli Thorax flight muscles
Antennae (Antennal
Thermoreceptors temperature
receptors)
Chemical Stimuli
Chemoreception
Contact reception
(gustatory, taste)
Chemical sense
Distant (smell,
olfactory)
chemoreception
Chemical Stimuli
Chemoreception
depolarize a
Chemosensors Transferred to a
membrane
trap chemical site for
stimulate a nerve
molecules recognition-->
impulse
Chemical Stimuli
Effective trapping localization of the chemoreceptors (taste receptors)
• Salt & sugar receptors on
Chemoreceptors Localization
the labellum
• Ex: extension of
Mouthparts proboscis pattern to
search food
Identification of suitable
Ovipositors oviposition sites
First encounter sensory
Antennae stimuli endowed with
chemoreceptors
• Particularly tarsi (contact
with substrate)
Legs • Feeding behaviors is
induced when a tarsal
chemoreceptors is
stimulated with sucrose
Chemical Stimuli
Chemoreceptors uniporous or multiporous sensilla
• Contains a chamber (basal contact
with a dendritic chamber that lies
hairs beneath the cuticle)
• Outer chamber extrude viscous
liquid assist entrapment & chemical
Uniporous
transfer to dendrites
pegs
• Relatively thick walls and simple
permeable pore, apical or central
plate
• Detect chemicals by contact and some
olfactory function
Pores in cuticular
depression
Chemical
Stimuli
Multiporous sensilla hair
or peg-like setae with many
round pores/slits in the thin
walls pore keetle
Chemical Stimuli
Gustatory (contact) neuron
• Classified best according to their function
• To feeding, there are cells whose activity in response
to chemical stimulation either is to enhance or
2 reduce feeding phagostimulatory/deterrent
Chemical Stimuli
Semiochemicals (chemical odors) Kairomones
Interspecific Allomones
communication
Semiochemicals Synomones
function
Intraspecific
Pheromones
communication
• Substances secreted to the outside by one individual and
received by a 2nd individual of the same species in which they
release a specific reaction
• Predominantly volatile, sometimes liquid contact chemicals
• Produced by exocrine glands derived from epidermal cells
• May be released over the surface of the cuticle or form
specific dermal structures
Chemical Stimuli
Semiochemicals
Scent organ location
Eversible sacs or pouches
Lepidoptera between the 8th & 9th
abdominal segments
Honey bee Mandibular
Aphids On the swollen hind tibiae
Cockroach Within midgut and genitalia
Chemical
Stimuli
Olfactory sensilla
Chemical Stimuli
Pheromones Classification Sex attraction pheromones and
courtship pheromones
Sex pheromones
Causes conspecific insects of
both sexes to crowd around
the source
Aggregation
Pheromones
Mating, security, food source
pheromones utilization, cohesion of social
insect; host resistance
Spacing pheromons Deterrent pheromones
Volatile, non-persistent
Alarm pheromones compounds; provoked by
threat
• Volatile & short-lived
Trail-making chemicals that evaporate
pheromones within days unless reinforce
• E.g: in ants mark their trails
to food & nest
Chemical Stimuli
Sex Pheromones
Chemical Stimuli
Sex pheromones
Chemical Stimuli
Aggregation & spacing pheromones on pine beetle
( Dendroctonous brevicomis)
Finding new tree
Both sexes attracted and
colonizing females Cumulative lure of
newly arrived males then
release pheromone ( frontalin, exo-brevicomin
add to another
exo-brevicomin & myrcene synergistic
pheromone (frontalin)
augmented by myrcene)
Chemical Stimuli
Aggregation & spacing pheromones on pine beetle
( Dendroctonous brevicomis)
Beetle mate on the tree, Verbenone (female) &
Spacing out new
both sexes produced ipsdienol (male) deter
colonist,, further arrivals
“anti-aggregation” further beetles to arrive
are repelled
pheromone at the tree
Chemical Stimuli
Spacing hormones effect spacing on food resources phytophagous
insects
Ovipositing female Deterring
Tephritid flies lay
deposits ovi-position subsequent
eggs in fruit where
deterrent pheromone oviposition from
larva is to develop
on the fruit another insect
Chemical Stimuli
Interspecific semiochemicals
• Benefit the receiver, disadvantage the producer
Kairomones • Plant hormones attract damaging insects; host’s
hormones attract specific parasitoids
• Benefit the producer, neutral effect on the recipient
Allomones • e.g: defensive &/or repellent chemicals by beetle;
bug, ants, bees, wasps
• Benefit both the producer & receiver
Synomones • e.g: parasitoid of phytophagous insects
Carbondioxide as sensory cue
• Detect & measure the concentration of
environmental chemical using specialized
receptors cells
CO2 importance
Sensory • Located on either antennae or mouthparts
(not on both types of any species)
structures that • Labial palp (lepidoptera), maxillary palp
(larval lepidoptera & mosquitoes &
detect midges); antennae (hymenoptera,
coleoptera)
atmospheric CO2
Carbondioxide as sensory cue
Detection of CO2 levels/gradient in CO2 concentration has been impicated in
many insects activities, including, allowing or assisting:
• Locate healthy host plants for oviposition
Butterflies, moth, (plant release/uptake CO2 depending on their
photosynthetic activity)
adults fruit flies • Home in on damaged fruit (which release CO2
from wounds
• Locate of select roots, fruits, or flower for
Lepidoptera, feeding (sources of CO2)
Coleoptera larva
Carbondioxide as sensory cue
Detection of CO2 levels/gradient in CO2 concentration has been impicated in
many insects activities, including, allowing or assisting:
Blood-feeding • Detect vertebrate hosts
insects
(mosquito)
Social insects • Regulate levels of CO2 in their nest
by fanning behavior at the nest
(ants and entrance or by altering nest
termites) architecture
INSECT VISION
Photoreceptors (cells containing light-sensitive molecules) & nervous
system complex process visual information
Microvili
Retinula (nerve)
(consisting
cells
visual pigment)
Rhabdom
(photoreceptive)
INSECT VISION
Photoreceptors (cells containing light-sensitive molecules) & nervous
system complex process visual information
Triggering Transmitted via
Changing of change of chemical
Light falling
visual pigment electrical synapses to
onto rhabdom
configuration potential across nerve cells in
the membrane the brain
INSECT VISION
• Sensory receptors below the
body cuticle
• E.g: in cockroaches &
Dermal detection lepidopteran larvae
Visual Organs
• The only visual organs of
larval holometabolous
• Located on the head, 1-7 in
Stemmata number, contain
photoreceptors & associated
nerve cells (highligh
sensitivity)
Ocelli • Adult and nymph have
dorsal ocelli lies in a triangle
in addition of compound
eyes
Compound eyes • Adult and nymph have a
pair of large, prominent
compound eyes with covers
nearly 360 degrees of visual
space
INSECT VISION
Compound eyes
a. Stemmata b) ocelli (repetition of ommatidia)
LIGHT PRODUCTION
(Bioluminescence)
• Co-opt symbiotic luminescent bacteria/fungi
Source & • Self-luminescence (few collembola, hemiptera,
coleoptera)
• Function courtship signalling
function
• Enzyme luciferase oxidizes a substrate,
luciferin, in the presence of ATP & O2
oxyluciferin, CO2 & light
mechanism • Variation in ATP controls rate of flashing
• Differences in PH allow variation in color of
light emitted
THE NERVOUS
SYSTEM &
COORDINATION
INTRODUCTION Immediate & obvious
adjustments/response
Ex:
flight from predators
Animal constantly Nervous system
monitor their transfer message to
internal & external the effector system
environment
Received by sensory
by Response depends on
structure & central
the nature of stimulus
nervous system
Make necessary
adjustments/
response to maintain The use of chemical
themselves optimally messages
& reproduce at (hormone, viz)
maximum rate
Delayed response
Longer-term
Ex: entry into diapause
to avoid impending
adverse condition
INSECTS’ NERVOUS SYSTEM: Neurons
Cytoplasmic
Extension Monopolar neurons lacking dendritic tree
usually
branched cell body
contain
nucleus,
organelle
Bipolar neurons mitochondria
Multipolar neurons dendritic tree
Neurites
axon branches
INSECTS’ NERVOUS SYSTEM: Glial Cells
INSECTS’ NERVOUS SYSTEM
INSECTS’ NERVOUS SYSTEM
INSECTS’
BEHAVIOR
INSECTS’ BEHAVIOR
• Programmed genetically to
arise stereotypically upon
Innate first exposure to the
Behavior
appropriate stimulus
• Ex: virgin & mated females
Environmentally & respond in very different
physiologically modified ways to identical stimuli
compared with conspecific
adult
Learning & memory • Acquisition of neuronal
representations of new
information (new changes
to the environment, visual,
or olfactory characcteristic
INSECTS’ BEHAVIOR
kinesis
Multiple
taxis
Reflexes
Reflexes to
Individual
simple stimuli
EXAMPLE OF INSECTS’ BEHAVIOR
EXAMPLE OF INSECTS’ BEHAVIOR
Univoltine ( one
Voltinism generation/year)
Bivoltine ( two
generations/year)
multivoltine (2 or more
generations/year)
Semivoltine (excess of
1 year)
EXAMPLE OF INSECTS’ BEHAVIOR
Voltinism
DIAPAUSE
• Seasonal survival strategy; Dynamic state of low metabolic activity
• Influenced by species-specific ecological interaction, biogeography, life
1. history & physiology
• Genetically determined and mediated by neurohormones that phenotypically
affect individuals by decreasing morphogenesis, blocking reproduction &
2. metamorphosis, increasing tolerance to extreme environmental condition
• Major stimuli inducting diapause: (1) changing photoperiod (short day &
long nights) & 2) gradual decreases in temperature
3.
Ecophysiological Phase of Diapause
• Sensitive stage exposed to
Diapause preparation
DIAPAUSE
one/more environmental
(token stimuli)
• Sub phases: (i) responsive
Diapause phase; (ii) initiation stage;
(iii) termination
• Endogenous changes:
lower lipid degradation,
Post-Diapause low temperature, dll
• Characterized by: complete
reactivation of metabolism
& development in the
insect
• Common type of dormancy
DIAPAUSE • The pharate larvae/egg is
unable to respond to any
abiotic signals refractory
to hatching stimuli
• More tolerant to desiccation
& have higher lipid content
Embryonic diapause than normal embryo/egg
DIAPAUSE
• Regulated by Overexpression
of ecdysteroids transcript
• Prolongation of the third
Larval stages diapause or fourth instar
• Stimulated by a gradual
decrease in environmental
temperature &
Adult females diapause photoperiod
• Characterized by: interruption of gonadal
development, reduced behavior, negative
phototaxis, changes is total metabolism,
gradual accumulation of body fat
DIAPAUSE
DIAPAUSE
Quiescence
• A type of irregular dormancy (non-seasonal)
1.
• Characterized by slowed metabolism & directly resulting
from un-favourable environmental conditions (low humidity
2. & high temperature)
• Doesn’t depend on endogenous control for initiation
• Controlled exogenously
3.
MATING BEHAVIOR
Mate Location & Recognition
Males deposit packages of sperm
onto substrate though at the time no
female may be in the vicinity
Collembola
APTERYGOTES
Females find the sperm package by
chance & take them up into
reproductive tract
Droplets of sperm are placed
Thysanura on the substrate, though only
when a female is present
MATING BEHAVIOR
Mate Location & Recognition
• Used mostly by many diurnal species
Visual • Movement, color, form and size
• Final determination by
Tactile tactile/olfactory/chemical stimuli
• Ex: Diptera, butterflies, fireflies, Coleoptera
PTERYGOTES
Olfactory • Volatile chemical attractants effect over a
considerable distance
• Pheromones produced by females
Chemical • Employed by diurnal & nocturnal species
• Ex: Lepidoptera
• Useful cues for insects living among grass
• Ex: orthoptera; Gryllidae (male produce
Auditory sounds); Acrididae (both sexes produce
sounds); male of cicadas, katydids, cricket
(sing)
MATING BEHAVIOR
Courtship mechanism for species recognition
Visual & Tactile • Movement of adorned parts of the
stimulation body (antennae, eyestalks, wings,
ritualized movement “dancing”)
• Rubbing, stroking, grasping
COURTSHIP
• Common in Hemiptera, Orthoptera,
Acoustic
& Plecoptera
courtship
• Use long-range calling (crickets)
• Long-distance call and sing by wing
vibration (Drosophila)
Nuptial gift In predatory insects (food, chemical,
male mates cannibalization)
Secretion liquid/ Inhibiting female’s movement,
pheromone stimulating to mating position
MATING BEHAVIOR
Sexual Selection
• male’s flash duration & size of
lantern correlated to male’s
spermatophore
fireflies • Female prefer males with longer
Sexual Selection
& larger lantern
Female bush Prefers song of younger male
cricket superior insemination
Females prefer male with large
Dung betles horns as mate defensive
capabilities
MATING BEHAVIOR
Copulation
Indirect methods of
copulation male depositing
Apterygote spermatophore for the
COPULATION
female to pick up from the
substrate
Involves physical apposition
of male and female genitalia,
Pterygote
usually followed by
insemination (transfer of
spem via the insertion of
part of male’s penis into
female’s reproductive tract
Posterior ends of a pair of copulating milkweed bugs (Hemipter
a)
(Source: Gullan, 2010)
MATING BEHAVIOR
Post-copulatory Behavior
Antennation/palpation of the female by the
Post-copulatory
male
Female remain passive, enabling
Feeding sperm to be evacuated from the
nuptial gift spermatophore
• Ensure complete transfer of sperm
Mate
or to enable the female to
guarding
oviposit undisturbed
• Contact behavior continued
genital contact (bugs)
• Non-contact behavior remain
close to the female (crickets, flies)
Courtship and
mating in
Mecoptera
(by giving nuptial
gift)
Post-copulatory
behavior
(contact
behavior)
MATING BEHAVIOR
fly Rhamphomyia nigrita (Diptera: Empididae)
Chemical Stimuli
Sex Pheromones
