Investigation by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of trail pheromones in ants.

The Dufour's gland content of workers of two ant species of the genus Messor has been analyzed by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The structures of the compounds in the pheromonal mixtures have been determined. In both cases only one intact gland, inserted in a properly dimensioned capillary vial, is sufficient to produce a clean and fully interpretable GC/MS profile. It is worth noting that, for the first time in Messor ants, farnesol has been detected as a minor component of glandular secretion in Messor capitatus. Copyright 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.