Site of sex pheromone biosynthesis in the female housefly,Musca domestica L.

Summary The primary site of sex pheromone biosynthesis in the female housefly is the abdominal integument tissue, whereas the contribution of the legs is relatively minor. A substantial portion of the sex pheromone components are, however, transferred from the abdomen to the legs, probably as a result of grooming.Acknowledgment. This work was supported by the Science and Education Administration of the U.S. Department of Agriculture under grant No. 7801064 from the Competitive Research Grants Office. Contribution of the Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, Journal Series No 524. Housefly pupae were kindly supplied by Dr Ted Shapas, S.C. Johnson and Son, Inc., Racine, Wisconsin.Author for correspondence.