Love it or leave it: Behavioral effects of essential oils in house crickets, Acheta domesticus

Insects have a well-developed sense of smell. Their distinct antennae which bear a multitude of sensory organs (sensilla) allow them to detect odor cues in their environment, triggering behaviors such as orientation toward food, locating mating partners, and avoiding predators. House crickets, Acheta domesticus, make excellent models in neuroscience research, as these insects have moderately complex nervous systems and display a rich behavioral repertoire. Since they are omnivorous feeders and can feed on a vast array of food sources, they can become nuisance pests by entering human dwellings and contaminating food sources with their fecal matter. The focus of this study was to determine if essential oils had any effect in evoking a repellent behavior from the odorant. Several essential oils have been reported to be effective repellents in mosquitoes. We tested a vast array of essential oils on the house cricket to determine if a similar repellent effect was noted in this species. We hypothesized that some of the essential oils that we tested would serve as moderate to strong repellents, while others would serve as weak repellents or not repel house crickets at all. As we continue with these studies, we are investigating concentration effects and hope to determine which chemical derivatives may be responsible for the repellent behavior noted in this species.