Behavioural response of aphids to the alarm pheromone component (E)-β-farnesene in the field

The alarm response of aphids to (E )-beta-farnesene was examined for 59 species in the subfamilies Aphididae, Callaphididae, Chaitophoridae and Lachnidae, in the field. Forty-one aphid species responded to (E )-beta-farnesene at a dosage of 1 ng and/or 10 ng; however, 18 species did not. Myrmecophilous aphids did not react as extensively or strongly as non-myrmecophilous aphids. The response of aphids to (E)-beta-farnesene was related to host-plant species.