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Host‐habitat Location by the Parasitoid, Nasonia vitripennis Walker (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)
Author(s) -
Frederickx Christine,
Dekeirsschieter Jessica,
Verheggen Francois J.,
Haubruge Eric
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/1556-4029.12267
Subject(s) - nasonia vitripennis , pteromalidae , parasitoid , attraction , electroantennography , biology , hymenoptera , host (biology) , parasitoid wasp , generalist and specialist species , odor , zoology , foraging , ecology , green leaf volatiles , sex pheromone , habitat , herbivore , neuroscience , linguistics , philosophy
This study investigated the role of odorant cues used during host‐habitat location by the generalist parasitoid, N asonia vitripennis Walker. Nasonia vitripennis is a common parasitoid of D ipteran pupae found in association with decaying carrion. Behavioral assays were used to investigate the host‐habitat searching behavior under different scenarios. First, we demonstrated N . vitripennis to be significantly attracted toward odorant cues associated with decaying meat. The biological activity of nine of the volatile molecules constituting the odor of decaying meat was tested on the searching behavior of parasitoid females through two complementary chemoecological approaches: electroantennography ( EAG ) and olfactometry bioassays. Butanoic acid and butan‐1‐ol elicited high olfactory responses, but no attraction was induced by these two chemicals. Behavioral assays showed that, among the VOC s tested, methyldisulfanylmethane ( DMDS ) was the only volatile chemical to induce attraction in N . vitripennis .