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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Insect Genetics and Biochemistry Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #137167
Title: LIPID COMPOSITION OF OVERWINTERING ALFALFA LEAFCUTTING BEE PREPUPAE

Author
item Buckner, James
item Kemp, William - Bill

Submitted to: National Meeting of Entomological Society Of America
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/24/2002
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Alfalfa leafcutting bees, Megachile rotundata (F.) overwinter as prepupae. The cuticular and internal lipids were extracted from prepupae that had been held at 4 C for eight months. Cuticular lipid components were separated, identified and quantitated by capillary gas chromatography (CGC) and CGC-mass spectrometry (MS). Ester derivatives of fatty acids from internal lipid components were analyzed by CGC-MS and intact components were analyzed by HPLC-MS. Cuticular lipids were composed of homologous series of hydrocarbons (n-alkanes, methyl-branched alkanes), long-chain aldehydes and alcohols, and wax esters. M. rotundata prepupae possessed large quantities of internal lipids that were extracted with CHCl3/methanol (2:1), and separated into neutral lipids and phospholipid classes by silica gel chromatography. The majority of the internal lipids were triacylglycerols with mainly unsaturated fatty acid components.