ISSN:
1570-7458
Keywords:
hyperparasitoid
;
search pattern
;
foraging success
;
host acceptance
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract Euneura augarusis a specialized ectohyperparasitoid of conifer lachnids, which causes considerable mortality in mummies of conifer lachnid parasitoids. For the search on a large scale, E. augarusfemales rely mainly on volatile secondary plant compounds of conifers to locate potential host plants. In the medium-range (i.e., on a given host plant), females detect the presence of hosts either during spiral search flights or during search by walking. Search flights were more effective when mummies were dispersed, while clumped mummies were mainly found by walking. On ant-attended trees, E. augaruswas not able to forage successfully. Choice experiments with Aphidius ervi-mummies showed that E. augarusis able to develop in species that are not attacked in the field. We hypothesize that the proximate mechanism of host plant specificity, and as a consequence, host aphid specificity seems to be the use of typical conifer volatiles for host finding which provide the `search image' for the species.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1004096515243
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