Antennal contamination from short term air pollution severely compromises insect olfactory perception

The consequences of sub-lethal levels of ambient air pollution are underestimated for insects and the effects of the accumulation of particulate matter (PM) on sensory receptors located on their antennae have not been considered. Here we show that the density of PM on the antennae of houseflies (Musca domestica) collected from an urban environment increases with the severity of air pollution. A combination of behavioural assays, electroantennograms and transcriptomic analysis provide consistent evidence that a brief exposure to PM pollution compromises olfactory perception of reproductive and food odours in both male and female houseflies. Since PM can be transported thousands of kilometres from its origin, these effects may represent an additional factor responsible for global declines in insect numbers, even in pristine and remote areas.