Raw data on the composition of the cuticular hydrocarbons (CHC) of males (females as a reference) and of male-specific carboxylic esters of two species of mason bees, Osmia bicornis and O. cornuta (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). This data were used to analyze the age-related changes in the individual scent profile within the first days as a free flying bee.

Journal: Apidologie (ISSN: 0044-8435)
Title of publication: Age-related changes in cuticular hydrocarbon bouquet and same-sex sexual behavior of mason bee males (Osmia bicornis and O. cornuta)

Author of data:
Dr. Karsten Seidelmann, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute of Biology, Department Animal Physiology, Halle (Saale), Germany

Species:
Osmia bicornis, Osmia cornuta: Insecta, Hymenoptera, Apidae, Megachilidae, Osmiini

Methodology:
Hexane washings of bodies.

File format:
Tab delimited ASCII, decimal separator "."

List of files:
Compound-List.txt
Method_bicornis.txt
Method_cornuta.txt

Osmia-bicornis_CHC.txt
Osmia-biconris_male-esters.txt
Osmia-cornuta_CHC.txt
Osmia-cornuta_male-esters.txt

Data structure:
Samples (running number, sex (Male, Female), Age (days), Animal (bee-number referring to age class)) in rows
Variables (peak area of compounds) in columns

Variables:
Compound - name of the compound in short notation: x-Cy:z-v (x: Position of the double bound {if any, "X" or “Y” if position is unknown}, "+" following x indicates that the position of the double bound is 11 and higher; y: number of carbon atoms; z: Number of double bounds (0 for alkanes, 1 for alkenes), 2 for di-alkenes), v: specification of the substance (e.g. OOH for acid, ME for methyl ester, EE for ethyl ester, etc.; refer to compound list for details)
Peak - number of peak in the chromatogram
Retention Time - Retention time of the substance
Sample - Number of sample, please note that sample numbers are valid only within a file, same sample numbers in different files do not in every case refer to the same bee

Content of files:
Method_species-name.txt - GC-MS method with all relevant values
Compound-List.txt - list of identified compounds with their retention times and Kovats indices
Osmia-species_*.txt – Raw data of peak areas of the compounds measured; please note that the area refers to the main characteristic ions (see Method_*.txt for details), not to total ion count!