McIntyre, J.C.*; Moore, P.A.: Boundary-layer Effect on the Chemical Signal Movement Across the Antennae of the Male Antherea polyphemus

Male A. polyphemus use pheromones in order to locate females. The male detects the pheromones after it moves through the antennae. The antennae of the male are large and very plumose, and therefore have a significant boundary layer. The purpose of this study is to find out how the boundary layer influences the movement of chemical signals to the receptors. The chemical signal was measured using IVEC 10. In the first part of the study the angle at which the antennae faced into flow was manipulated, and in the second part we moved the electrode in a transverse fashion. Several parameters important for the detection of chemical signals were analyzed, these included peak length, peak rise time, maximum height, and decay slope. The results show that the presence of the antennae, the angle, and of the position on the antennae impacts chemical signals parameters and t hus the information that male moths can extract from odor signals.