Olfactory response of two aphid parasitoids, Lysiphlebus testaceipes and Aphidius colemani, to aphid‐infested plants from a distance

Abstract

The role of volatile stimuli in the host-searching behaviour of the two parasitoid species Lysiphlebus testaceipes Cresson and Aphidius colemani Viereck (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was studied in relation to the host Aphis gossypii Glover (Homoptera: Aphididae) on cucumber plants, Cucumis sativa L. (Cucurbitaceae). Experiments were carried out in the laboratory in a wind tunnel, exposing individual parasitoids to signals from three sources simultaneously: (1) a complex of cucumber plants, Cucumis sativa, and A. gossypii; (2) uninfested cucumber plants; and (3) dummy cardboard plants. The flight response of the female parasitoids was considered oriented when they landed on plants and non-oriented when the females landed elsewhere (tunnel floor, sides, or top). Results showed that the proportion of oriented flights was significantly higher than non-oriented flights. A comparison between the two wasp species suggested that A. colemani females may be better able to locate plants than L testaceipes, as the proportion of females that made an oriented flight was higher in this species. For females of both wasp species which made an oriented flight, landing was more often observed on real plants (i.e., with no difference between infested and uninfested plants), than on dummy plants. A description of the flight behaviour of the two parasitoid species is presented. One difference between the species was that flight duration was higher in L. testaceipes than in A. colemani. This work shows that the two parasitoid species respond to stimuli from the host-plants of A. gossypii in a similar way to parasitoids of aphid pests in other crop

Responses of Cereal Aphids and Their Parasitic Wasps to Landscape Complexity

“…Other important factor is that the L. testaceipes parasitoid species, in particular, showed a low capacity to locate the host, since it has a limited response to volatiles released by the plants (Lo Pinto et al 2004, Fauvergue et al, 2006. Therefore, this species in a plant with no wheat aphids may be captured owing to theirs disorientation or during transit, while they searched for hosts in other crops.…”

Cold storage affects mortality, body mass, lifespan, reproduction and flight capacity of Praon volucre (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

“…Interestingly, this study shows that the flight capacity of P. volucre remains high, even after 20 days of storage at 5°C. Although the flight behaviour of Aphidiinae parasitoids has been studied (Guerrieri et al, 1993(Guerrieri et al, , 1999Lo Pinto et al, 2004) and their flight capacity at low temperature determined (Langer et al…”

Recent Trends in the Olfactory Responses of Insect Natural Enemies to Plant Volatiles

“…Similarly, several braconid aphid parasitoid species have been reported as responding to a variety of olfactory cues linked with the host or with the host's habitat (Jang et al 2000;Carver and Franzmann 2001). Pinto et al (2004) showed that the two parasitoid species Lysiphlebus testaceipes and Aphidius colemani (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) responded to stimuli from the host plants of A. gossypii in a similar way to parasitoids of aphid pests in other crops. Also, Silva et al (2007) showed that Doryctobracon areolatus and D. longicaudata females responded to the odors of uninfested rotting guavas, although D. areolatus was also attracted to fruits at the initial maturation stage.…”