The oviposition attractant for the mushroom phorid Megaselia halterata: The identification of volatiles present in mushroom house air

Neutral volatiles present in the air of a mushroom house during the spawn running phase of commercial production of the mushroom Agaricus bisporus have been identified and their source has been investigated. A group of polychloroanisoles emanated from broiler‐house sweepings used in making wheat straw‐chicken manure compost. Most of the straw volatiles were lost during the process of composting. With certain exceptions, most of the volatiles identified were metabolic products of A. bisporus, but the source of some cyclic monoterpenoids remains uncertain. Preliminary information suggests that some A. bisporus C8 aliphatic alcohols and ketones are attractive to gravid females of the phorid Megaselia halterata. RESP-8640