First field evidence that parasitoids use upwind anemotaxis for host-habitat location

A - Papers appearing in refereed journals

Williams, I. H., Frearson, D. J. T., Barari, H. and McCartney, H. A. 2007. First field evidence that parasitoids use upwind anemotaxis for host-habitat location. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 123 (3), pp. 299-307. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1570-7458.2007.00551.x

AuthorsWilliams, I. H., Frearson, D. J. T., Barari, H. and McCartney, H. A.
Abstract

The direction of flight of natural populations of Phradis interstitialis (Thomson), Tersilochus obscurator Aubert (both Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), and Platygaster subuliformis (Kieffer) (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae), parasitoids of three crucifer-specialist herbivores, to and from their hosts' host plant [oilseed rape, Brassica napus L. (Brassicaceae)] was studied in the field within a heterogeneous arable environment. Double-sided Malaise traps encircling a plot of winter oilseed rape (cultivar Lutin) were used to sample the parasitoids as they flew towards and away from the plot during spring and summer. Daily trap catch of parasitoids and trap air flow were compared using Spearman's rank correlation. For all 14 insect days analysed, and for each species, the correlations between daily catch of parasitoids into distal halves of traps (relative to the plot) and wind direction were negative, significantly so on half the days analysed. This confirmed that flights towards the plot were by upwind anemotaxis. In contrast, the correlations between daily catch of parasitoids into proximal halves of traps (relative to the plot) and wind direction were most often crosswind; they were never strongly nor significantly either negative or positive. Implications of the results for integrated Pest management strategies incorporating biological control with these parasitoids are discussed.

KeywordsEntomology
Year of Publication2007
JournalEntomologia Experimentalis et Applicata
Journal citation123 (3), pp. 299-307
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1570-7458.2007.00551.x
Open accessPublished as non-open access
Funder project or codeSEF
Integrated pest management strategies incorporating bio-control for European oilseed rape pests (MASTER)
ISSN00138703
0013-8703
PublisherWiley

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