Inter-specific variation in the reactive distance of different aphid-parasitoid associations: analysis from automatic tracking of the walking path

Abstract

The distance from which hosts are perceived by foraging parasitoid females has been repeatedly considered to be an important behavioural trait that is supposed to be related to their efficiency as biological control agents. In the present study, such a 'reactive distance' was quantified using the automatic analysis of video-recorded females' walking paths. Inter-specific variation of this trait was analysed by comparison between Aphis gossypii Glover, Myzus persicae Sulzer, and Sitobion avenae Fabricius, and three of their parasitoid species known to present different levels of specificity to these hosts: Aphelinus abdominalis Dalman, Aphidius colemani Viereck, and Aphidius picipes Nees. Responses to two different host instars of different size were also compared in each combination. On average, parasitoid females were able to perceive aphids from a distance of about 3 to 4 mm. The only significant difference observed was between the Aphelinus and the two Aphidius parasitoid species. No difference was detected between the different host instars or species tested. Females seem to be unable to discriminate between host and non-host species from a distance. These results seem to confirm the hypothesis of the use of a cuticular contact kairomone for host recognition at the species level.

Parasitism of the soybean aphid,Aphis glycinesbyBinodoxys communis: the role of aphid defensive behaviour and parasitoid reproductive performance

“…Although most parasitoids have poor ability to assess host suitability from a distance, they sometimes evaluate aphid shape, size or movement (Battaglia et al, 1995;Le Ralec et al, 2005). Our results suggest that B. communis might employ aphid size as an initial criterion to determine host suitability, while increased movement of A. glycines alates may act as a release stimulus for attack.…”

Identification and Expression Profiling of Peripheral Olfactory Genes in the Parasitoid Wasp Aphidius ervi (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Reared on Different Aphid Hosts

“…As host recognition in parasitoid wasps is achieved after antennal contact with kairomones and chemical cues located on the cuticle of insects [73], it is expected that ORs contribute to the detection and discrimination of different CHCs. This is the case for the Indian jumping ant Harpegnathos saltator (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), where several ORs are narrowly tuned to specific CHCs [74].…”

Two protagonists on aphidophagous patches: effects of learning and intraguild predation

“…), we demonstrate that A. abdominalis generalizes, that is, manifests a learned fidelity to a particular chemical similarity present in all its host species to innately recognize a host (e.g., Steidle & van Loon, 2003). This chemical signature of the host, speculated to be a non‐volatile cuticular kairomone (Le Ralec et al., 2005), is detected through the contact behavior. We obtained that 22% (2/9) Aphelinus females attacked C. carnea with their ovipositor in M .…”

“…Aphelinus abdominalis shows a preference for third‐instar aphid nymphs for oviposition (Wahab, 1985). Recognition by A. abdominalis of a suitable host can only be achieved after antennal contact, probably by the perception of a cuticular kairomone (Le Ralec et al., 2005). Adult C. carnea are pollinivorous, feeding mainly on honeydew from homopteran species and floral nectar (Canard & Principi, 1984).…”