Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, 32611-2035, Gainesville, Florida.
J Chem Ecol. 1993 Dec;19(12):3017-27. doi: 10.1007/BF00980599.
We present chemical analysis of four rotten or fungus-infected logs that attracted fragrance-collecting male euglossine bees. Eight of the 10 volatile compounds detected have never been found in the fragrances of orchids pollinated by male euglossine bees. Nonfloral sources of chemicals such as rotting wood may constitute an important fragrance resource for male bees. Since rotten logs produce large quantities of chemicals over long periods of time, such nonfloral sources might be more important than flowers as a source of certain fragrances for some euglossine bee species. Fragrance collecting in euglossine bees might have evolved originally in relation with rotting wood rather than flowers.
我们对吸引了收集香味的雄性兰蜂的四棵腐烂或真菌感染的原木进行了化学分析。在所检测到的 10 种挥发性化合物中，有 8 种从未在雄性兰蜂授粉的兰花香味中发现过。腐烂木材等非花卉来源的化学物质可能构成了雄性蜜蜂重要的香味来源。由于腐烂的原木会在很长一段时间内产生大量的化学物质，因此与某些兰花物种相比，这种非花卉来源的化学物质可能比花朵更为重要，是某些特定香味的来源。兰蜂的香味收集可能最初是与腐烂的木材而不是花朵有关。
