The responses of Praon spp. parasitoids to aphid sex pheromone components in the field

In autumn 1991, aphid parasitoids of the genus Praon (Hymenoptera; Braconidae) were caught in water traps with lures containing synthetic aphid sex pheromone components at three sites in England and one in Germany. At two of the English sites and at the German site, the traps were placed in winter cereal fields whilst the third English site was in woodland. Three species were caught, P. volucre, P. dorsale and P. abjectum. Those caught in cereal fields were almost entirely P volucre, whilst P dorsale dominated at the woodland site. Of the known aphid sex pheromone components, the most effective lure was the (+)-(4aS,7S,7aR)-nepetalactone. Nepetalactone traps placed at the woodland site in spring and summer caught few Praon females, and attraction may be confined to the autumn, when sexual female aphids are present in the held. Male parasitoids did not respond to the aphid pheromones at any time, although they were caught in suction traps operated at the woodland site during the autumn. At the cereal sites height had a significant influence on the efficiency of the pheromone traps, those placed just above the crop canopy being most effective. There was no evidence that any other genus of parasitoid responded to aphid sex pheromones at these sites.