Octadecanolide

Octadecanolide is an organic compound with the chemical formula. It is a cyclic ester or lactone, more specifically a macrolide.

Occurrence

Several species of bees and butterflies use octadecanolide as a pheromone. The Dufour's gland of bees in the Halictinae subfamily, contains octadecanolide along with other macrocyclic lactones, which could be used for a range of different applications like nest building, larval food and chemical communication.