Characterization of <i>Leptoglossus occidentalis</i> Eggs and Egg Glue
Eva Sánchez-Hernández,
Pablo Martín-Ramos,
Jonatan Niño-Sánchez,
Sergio Diez-Hermano,
Flor Álvarez-Taboada,
Rodrigo Pérez-García,
Alberto Santiago-Aliste,
Jesús Martín-Gil,
Julio Javier Diez-Casero
Affiliations
Eva Sánchez-Hernández
Department of Agricultural and Forestry Engineering, ETSIIAA, University of Valladolid, Avenida de Madrid 44, 34004 Palencia, Spain
Pablo Martín-Ramos
Department of Agricultural and Forestry Engineering, ETSIIAA, University of Valladolid, Avenida de Madrid 44, 34004 Palencia, Spain
Jonatan Niño-Sánchez
Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Gestión Forestal Sostenible (iuFOR), Universidad de Valladolid, Avenida de Madrid 57, 34071 Palencia, Spain
Sergio Diez-Hermano
Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Gestión Forestal Sostenible (iuFOR), Universidad de Valladolid, Avenida de Madrid 57, 34071 Palencia, Spain
Flor Álvarez-Taboada
School of Agrarian and Forest Engineering, DRACONES, Universidad de León, Avenida de Portugal 41, 24401 Ponferrada, Spain
Rodrigo Pérez-García
Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Gestión Forestal Sostenible (iuFOR), Universidad de Valladolid, Avenida de Madrid 57, 34071 Palencia, Spain
Alberto Santiago-Aliste
Department of Agricultural and Forestry Engineering, ETSIIAA, University of Valladolid, Avenida de Madrid 44, 34004 Palencia, Spain
Jesús Martín-Gil
Department of Agricultural and Forestry Engineering, ETSIIAA, University of Valladolid, Avenida de Madrid 44, 34004 Palencia, Spain
Julio Javier Diez-Casero
Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Gestión Forestal Sostenible (iuFOR), Universidad de Valladolid, Avenida de Madrid 57, 34071 Palencia, Spain
The western conifer seed bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann, 1910, Heteroptera: Coreidae) has a significant economic impact due to the reduction in the quality and viability of conifer seed crops; it can feed on up to 40 different species of conifers, showing a clear predilection for Pinus pinea L. in Europe. Its incidence is especially relevant for the pine nut-producing industry, given that the action of this pest insect can reduce the production of pine nuts by up to 25%. As part of ongoing efforts aimed at the design of control strategies for this insect, this work focuses on the characterization (by scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy, GC–MS) of the compounds released by these insects during oviposition, with emphasis on the adhesive secretion that holds L. occidentalis eggs together. Elemental analysis pointed to the presence of significant amounts of compounds with high nitrogen content. Functional groups identified by infrared spectroscopy were compatible with the presence of chitin, scleroproteins, LNSP-like and gelatin proteins, shellac wax analogs, and policosanol. Regarding the chemical species identified by GC–MS, eggs and glue hydromethanolic extracts shared constituents such as butyl citrate, dibutyl itaconate, tributyl aconitate, oleic acid, oleamide, erucamide, and palmitic acid, while eggs also showed stearic and linoleic acid-related compounds. Knowledge of this composition may allow advances in new strategies to address the problem caused by L. occidentalis.