Use of myristic acid in the preparation of a honey bee small hive beetle attractant

Abstract

The application discloses application of tetradecanoic acid in preparation of a honeycomb beetle attractant. It is found through experiments that tetradecanoic acid with a concentration of 1 mu g / mu L has extremely significant attractiveness to male honeycomb beetles and has significant attractiveness to female honeycomb beetles. Therefore, tetradecanoic acid can be used for the prevention and control of honeycomb beetles, thereby effectively achieving pest prevention and control and reducing the dependence on pesticides. The application can provide an important reference for the improvement of honeycomb beetle prevention and control technology in China, promote green production of bee products, and comprehensively realize the economic and ecological values of bees.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of pest control, specifically involving the application of tetradecanoic acid in the preparation of attractants for honeycomb beetles. Background Technology

[0002] The Small Hive Beetle (SHB), scientifically known as *Aethina tumida*, is a serious invasive pest that severely damages the beekeeping industry. Native to sub-Saharan Africa, it has now spread to North America, Europe, Australia, and parts of Asia. It was first discovered in Shanwei City, Guangdong Province, my country in 2017. Its larvae feed on pollen, honey, and bee larvae within the hive, causing honey to ferment and spoil, damaging the honeycomb structure, and in severe cases, leading to colony collapse and significant economic losses.

[0003] Traditional monitoring and control methods (such as physical traps and chemical pesticides) suffer from low efficiency, potential risks to bee colonies, and environmental residues. Therefore, developing efficient, highly specific, and environmentally friendly behavioral regulation technologies, particularly pheromone attractants based on insect chemical ecology, has become a key research focus in this field. These technologies achieve efficient and targeted trapping of target pests by simulating or enhancing chemical signals that regulate pest location and aggregation behavior in nature. Compared to traditional control methods relying on broad-spectrum pesticides, pheromone attractants offer significant advantages such as high species specificity, environmental friendliness, and low likelihood of developing pesticide resistance.

[0004] Therefore, developing attractants targeting pests can effectively control pests and reduce dependence on pesticides. This can provide an important reference for improving beehive beetle control technology in my country, while also promoting the green production of bee products and fully realizing the economic and ecological value of bees. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The first objective of this invention is to provide the application of tetradecanoic acid in attracting small beetles.

[0006] A second objective of this invention is to provide the application of tetradecanoic acid in the preparation of honeycomb beetle attractants.

[0007] Preferably, the honeycomb beetle can be either a female or a male honeycomb beetle.

[0008] Preferably, the active ingredient of the honeycomb beetle attractant is tetradecanoic acid.

[0009] Preferably, the honeycomb beetle attractant is a bait containing tetradecanoic acid, which can be a solution containing tetradecanoic acid, and the solvent of the solution is a volatile solvent.

[0010] Preferably, the concentration of tetradecanoic acid in the solution is 0.1-10 μg / μL.

[0011] Preferably, the volatile solvent is n-hexane.

[0012] The third objective of this invention is a method for attracting honeycomb beetles, which involves loading tetradecanoic acid or a honeycomb beetle attractant containing tetradecanoic acid onto a carrier, thereby attracting honeycomb beetles using tetradecanoic acid.

[0013] Preferably, the carrier is a container or an adsorbent.

[0014] Preferably, a carrier loaded with tetradecanoic acid or containing tetradecanoic acid as a honeycomb beetle attractant is placed at the entrance of the beehive or inside the beehive to set a trap to capture or kill the honeycomb beetles.

[0015] This invention, through experiments, reveals that myristolic acid at a concentration of 1 μg / μL exhibits a highly significant attraction to male honeycomb beetles and a significant attraction to female honeycomb beetles. Therefore, myristolic acid can be used for the control of honeycomb beetles, effectively achieving pest control and reducing dependence on pesticides. This provides an important reference for improving honeycomb beetle control technology in my country, while simultaneously promoting the green production of bee products and fully realizing the economic and ecological value of bees. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the experiment;

[0017] Figure 2 The graph shows the results of the statistical analysis. Note: The chi-square test was used to analyze the behavioral responses of female and male honeycomb beetles to the myristic acid standard (* indicates a significant difference, P < 0.05; ** or *** indicates an extremely significant difference, P < 0.01). Detailed Implementation

[0018] The following embodiments are further illustrations of the present invention, but not limitations thereof.

[0019] Example 1:

[0020] 1. Experimental Procedure

[0021] 1.1 Test insect source

[0022] The population of small honeycomb beetles kept indoors for extended periods was initially provided by the Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, and later bred at the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Resources, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University. They were raised in an artificial climate chamber with controlled humidity (RH=80±2%), temperature (T=30±2℃), and light intensity (L:D=24:0), without exposure to pesticides. The artificial feed consisted of a mixture of pure water, white sugar, rapeseed pollen, and soybean protein powder. Unmated female and male small honeycomb beetles aged 6-8 days were used as test insects, selected from the rearing cages on the day of the experiment.

[0023] 1.2 Test Information Compound Information

[0024] Table 1

[0025] 1.2 Preparation of Sample Test Solution

[0026] The concentration settings for the standard test solution are: 10%, 1%, 0.1%, 0.01%, and 0.001% (using the volume ratio method), as shown in Table 2.

[0027] Table 2 ; Note: Brown sample vials should be sealed with sealing film and stored at -20°C. The "%" in this table represents a custom concentration symbol, where 1% corresponds to 1 μg / μL. Dilution ratios are shown in the preparation method.

[0028] 1.3 Behavioral Selection of Honeycomb Beetles Regarding Compound Standards

[0029] A tetradecanoic acid compound was dissolved in n-hexane to prepare a single-component information compound solution of a specific concentration (the experiment used only a 1% tetradecanoic acid compound solution; the preparation method is shown in Table 2). The measuring apparatus used was a Y-type olfactory instrument. Figure 1 As shown, the Y-shaped tube has a diameter of 5mm, and both the main arm and branch arm are 5cm long. Both sides are connected to the Pasteur tube via rubber hoses. The Pasteur tube is then connected to the flow meter, distilled water humidifier bottle, activated carbon air purifier bottle, and air pump via rubber hoses in sequence. (The last sentence appears to be incomplete and possibly refers to a measurement or process.) 2 Qualitative filter paper was used as a reagent lure, with 10 μL of a 1% tetradecanoic acid compound solution added. Hexane was used as a control. Hexane-coated filter paper and filter paper containing the 1% tetradecanoic acid compound solution were placed in two separate Pasteur tubes, with the airflow rate adjusted to 0.8 L / min. During the experiment, small beetles were introduced through the main arm of a Y-shaped tube, and timing began. At the bifurcation of the Y-shaped tube, a choice was made, moving towards different branches. Each beetle was recorded for 5 minutes. Crawling to a branch 2.5 cm and staying there for more than 30 seconds was considered a choice (behavioral judgment criteria refer to Table 3). Every 5 adults tested, a new Y-shaped tube was used, and the position of the Y-shaped tube was changed to eliminate the influence of tube arm position and residual odor on behavior. The replaced Y-shaped tubes were cleaned with ethanol and dried for later use. Each group tested 10 adults, repeated 3 times.

[0030] Behavioral judgment criteria:

[0031] A. It must not enter any branch of the Y-tube within 5 minutes of release. [No option]

[0032] B. Valid range within the determination interval: Enter the branch and go deeper than 1 / 2.

[0033] C. When the honeycomb beetle enters the judgment interval, the judgment rules described in the table shall apply.

[0034] D. If the beehive beetle quickly climbs up and then immediately returns to the bottom, the result of the first choice shall prevail.

[0035] Table 3

[0036] Table 4

[0037] Table 5

[0038] 2. Results and Analysis

[0039] Statistical analysis results as follows Figure 2 As shown in the figure, the right side represents the hexane control, and the left side represents the test compound, tetradecanoic acid. The horizontal axis represents the number of beetles that selected this odor. The experimental results show that, compared with the control (hexane), tetradecanoic acid at a concentration of 1 μg / μL has a highly significant attraction to male honeycomb beetles and a significant attraction to female honeycomb beetles.

Claims

1. Application of tetradecanoic acid in attracting honeycomb beetles.

2. Application of tetradecanoic acid in the preparation of honeycomb beetle attractant.

3. The application according to claim 2, characterized in that, The active ingredient of the honeycomb beetle attractant is tetradecanoic acid.

4. The application according to claim 2, characterized in that, The honeycomb beetle attractant is a bait containing myristic acid.

5. The application according to claim 2, characterized in that, The honeycomb beetle attractant is a solution containing tetradecanoic acid, and the solvent of the solution is a volatile solvent.

6. The application according to claim 5, characterized in that, The concentration of tetradecanoic acid in the solution is 0.1-10 μg / μL.

7. The application according to claim 5, characterized in that, The volatile solvent is n-hexane.

8. A method for attracting honeycomb beetles involves loading tetradecanoic acid or a honeycomb beetle attractant containing tetradecanoic acid onto a carrier, thereby attracting the honeycomb beetles using tetradecanoic acid.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The carrier is a container or an adsorbent.

10. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, This involves placing a carrier loaded with tetradecanoic acid or containing tetradecanoic acid as a honeycomb beetle attractant at the entrance of the beehive or inside the beehive to set a trap to capture or kill the honeycomb beetles.

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