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Pheromone Paper

By | November 2007
Page 1 of 3
A pheromone is defined as a substance that causes a response in a natural behavioral response in another animal of the same species. There are an abundant amount of pheromones presently. For instance the alarm pheromones sex pheromones, food trail pheromones, and many others that affect behavior. Pheromonal use among insects has been well documented, even though many plants and vertebrates communicate using pheromones. Pheromones are believed to be found throughout the world and have been traced back to the most ancient form of animal communication. For example the word pheromones originated from the Roman culture because it was believed soldiers had this intoxicating scent that attracted women. Yet in fact it was the heavy musky smell that women were attracted to back then. This philosophy is extremely pertinent in the animal world; pheromones can be detected over wide distances and serve at some instances as a place of communication. Pheromones help signal sexual interest in animals, mark their territory, and recognize considerable mates. For example in the canine world female dogs in heat leave their pheromone and can attract alpha dogs for an estimated mile away. In most reptiles, the Jacobson's organ, which is located in the area between the mouth and nose can detect pheromones, which is the first stage of the accessory system. Regular olfactory membranes detect some pheromones in these animals. In most animals, sexual pheromones show the availability of the female for breeding. Most insects release pheromones to attract a mate. And in many rare cases lepidopterans can detect a mate from as far away as six miles. Pheromones can be used to trail the opposite sexes for fertilization. For example, boar pheromones are released into the air, and those sows or female boars that exhibit sexual arousal are attracted and are ready to available for breeding. Male animals in general emit pheromones that show information about what kind of species they are and even...

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