Is It Possible to Manipulate Scelionidae Wasps' Preference to a Target Host?

Area of Science:

• Entomology
• Chemical Ecology
• Behavioral Ecology

Background:

• Parasitoid host selection is crucial for insect pest control.
• Chemical cues guide parasitoid behavior, but experience can modify innate responses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of immature experience on parasitism and chemotaxic behavior of Telenomus podisi and Trissolobasalis.
• To assess the learning and memory capabilities of Telenomus podisi regarding host egg volatiles.

Main Methods:

• Multiple-choice parasitism tests with three stink bug species (Euschistus heros, Piezodorus guildinii, Nezara viridula).
• Olfactometer assays to evaluate chemotaxic responses of naive and experienced Telenomus podisi females to host egg volatiles.
• Pre-imaginal conditioning of parasitoids on different host eggs.

Main Results:

• Telenomus podisi parasitism was influenced by the original host, while Trissolobasalis consistently preferred Nezara viridula eggs.
• Naive Telenomus podisi females showed positive chemotaxis to E. heros and P. guildinii egg volatiles, but not N. viridula.
• Experienced Telenomus podisi females exhibited significant learning and memory for specific host egg volatiles for at least 24 hours, showing attraction to N. viridula.

Conclusions:

• Parasitoid wasps demonstrate plasticity in host selection behavior based on experience.
• Pre-imaginal conditioning and exposure to host volatiles can be used to manipulate parasitoid host preferences.
• This research offers potential for biological control strategies by modifying parasitoid behavior.