Many insects find eachother for mating by means of odors, i.e. pheromones. It is usually the female who emits a scent that the male follows to find her. We study how these systems work and use them to manipulate and combat pest insects.

Project information at:

http://www.biosignal.org/home/orchards/orchards.html
http://www.vsv.slu.se/peterw/witzgall.htm
http://www.vsv.slu.se/peterw/projects.htm

Most insects are dependent on plant material as food for their larvae, and are thus often serious pests. To find a suitable plant for egglaying insects often use specific odors emitted from the plant. Odors from the ”wrong” plant can also have a deterrent effect. Hoe insects behave and how they choose host plant is a second research area where we are active. Also here we investigate possibilities to manipulate the behavior of pest insects in addition to the purely basic studies.

Project information at:

http://www.biosignal.org/
http://www.vv.slu.se/fs/tatry_pr/tatrypr.htm
http://hem.fyristorg.com/fresch/pm/

To find the right way among pheromones, plant odors and many other chemical cues, the insect nervous system must distinguish the significance of the different signals. Often mixtures are involved, raising even higher demands on the olfactory sense. How this sense is built and functions, both at the peripheral level, the antenna, and in the brain is our third main research direction.

Project information at:

http://www.amoth.org