ABSTRACT
The Hymenoptera is comprised of over 110,000 described species including 14,000 species of ants, 16,000 species of wasps, and 20,000 species of bees. 369 , 370 In contrast, the Isoptera has approximately 2000 described species. 350 Over 600 organic chemicals excluding hydrocarbons, have been identified in approximately 500 species representing 150 genera in the Hymenoptera and Isoptera. Of the genera analyzed, 80 include only one species. These chemical messengers represent a wide variety of different chemical classes. Hymenoptera, and particularly the eusocial Hymenoptera, have a wide variety of glandular sources producing these natural products; they include anal, Dufour’s, labial, mandibular, metapleural, poison, pygidial and seventh sternal glands as well as others. In contrast, the compounds identified from Isoptera are almost exclusively from the frontal glands of termite soldiers. They include a variety of acyclic, monocyclic and bicyclic monoterpenes as well as very specific types of diterpenes.
