Quinone-aggregation pheromone interaction in the red flour beetle

Tribolium are colonizing species whose adults and larvae utilize a broad spectrum of foods which contribute to their success as stored product pests. When Tribolium are overcrowded, benzoquinones are released which may dissolve the aggregation pheromone, causing the insects to disperse or to suppress aggregation behaviour. Therefore, an attempt was made to evaluate the relationship between the pheromone and the quinones as part of a chemical communication system.