Abstract
Several species of hymenopteran parasitoids are able to locate concealed pupal hosts by vibrational sounding. However, the specific role of this technique of mechanosensory host location has not yet been investigated in a natural, tritrophic system with multiple cues. Here we compared the host location of the pupal parasitoid Xanthopimpla stemmator in a tritrophic system with corn borer pupae in maize stem to the behavior on a paper model offering mechanosensory cues only. In general, the behavioral pattern and the behavioral states exhibited by host-searching female parasitoid were identical in the model and in the tritrophic system, while quantitative aspects differed. Our results demonstrate that vibrational sounding maintains its significance for host location in an environment with multiple cues, and that additional cues may increase responsiveness of females.
REFERENCES
Beck, S. D. (1987). Developmental and seasonal biology of Ostrinia nubilalis. Agr. Zool. Rev. 2: 59-96.
Broad, G. R., and Quicke, D. L. J. (2000). The adaptive significance of host location by vibrational sounding in parasitoid wasps. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B Biol. 267: 2403-2409.
Dutton, A., Mattiacci, L., and Dorn, S. (2000). Plant-derived semiochemicals as contact host location stimuli for a parasitoid of leafminers. J. Chem. Ecol. 26: 2259-2273.
Fischer, S., Samietz, J., Wäckers, F. L., and Dorn, S. (2001). Interaction of vibrational and visual cues in parasitoid host location. J. Comp. Physiol. A 187: 785-791.
Fischer, S., Samietz, J., Wäckers, F. L., and Dorn, S. (2003). Perception of achromatic cues during host location of a pupal parasitoid. Entomol. Exp. Appl. 106: 63-66.
Hailemichael, Y., Smith, J. W., Jr., and Wiedenmann, R. N. (1994). Host-finding behaviour, host acceptance, and host suitability of the parasite Xanthopimpla stemmator. Entomol. Exp. Appl. 71: 155-166.
Henaut, A., and Guerdoux, J. (1982). Location of a lure by the drumming insect Pimpla instigator (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae). Experientia 38: 346-347.
Mattiacci, L., Hütter, E., and Dorn, S. (1999). Host location of Hyssopus pallidus, a larval parasitoid of the codling moth, Cydia pomonella. Biol. Control 15: 241-251.
Meyhöfer, R., Casas, J., and Dorn, S. (1994). Host location by a parasitoid using leafminer vibrations: characterizing the vibrational signals produced by the leafmining host. Physiol. Entomol. 19: 349-359.
Meyhöfer, R., Casas, J., and Dorn, S. (1997). Vibration-mediated interactions in a host-parasitoid system. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B Biol. 264: 261-266.
Otten, H., Wäckers, F., Battini, M., and Dorn, S. (2001). Efficiency of vibrational sounding in the parasitoid Pimpla turionellae is affected by female size. Anim. Behav. 61: 671-677.
Pfannenstiel, R. S., Browning, H. W., and Smith, J. W., Jr. (1992). Searching behavior of Pediobius furvus (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) for Eoreuma loftini (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in sugarcane. J. Econ. Entomol. 85: 384-388.
Pillai, G. B., and Ramachandran Nair, K. (1989). Observations on Xanthopimpla punctata F. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), a pupal parasitoid of Opisina arenosella Wlk. J. Plant. Crops 16: 173-177.
Smith, J. W., Jr., Wiedenmann, R. N., and Overholt, W. A. (1993). Parasites of Lepidopteran Stemborers of Tropical Gramineous Plants, ICIPE Science Press, Nairobi.
Turlings, T. C. J., Bernasconi, M., Bertossa, R., Bigler, F., Caloz, G., and Dorn, S. (1998). The induction of volatile emissions in maize by three herbivore species with different feeding habits: Possible consequences for their natural enemies. Biol. Control 11: 122-129.
Wäckers, F. L., Mitter, E., and Dorn, S. (1998). Vibrational sounding by the pupal parasitoid Pimpla (Coccygomimus) turionellae: An additional solution to the reliability-detectability problem. Biol. Control 11: 141-146.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fischer, S., Samietz, J. & Dorn, S. Host Location of a Pupal Parasitoid in a Tritrophic System Compared to a Model Offering Mechanosensory Cues Only. Journal of Insect Behavior 17, 191–199 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOIR.0000028569.76708.40
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOIR.0000028569.76708.40