Drosophila parasitoid solves foraging problem through infochemical detour: the role of adult fly pheromone

Abstract

The foraging behaviour of Leptopilina heterotoma, a parasitoid of larvae of Drosophila simulans, was studied in a wind tunnel. The response of female parasitoids to: virgin female and male hosts; recently mated female hosts; virgin male hosts; and virgin female hosts on apple-yeast patches, was investigated. Female parasitoids displayed a preference for patches on which host mating and oviposition had occurred; patches on which only virgin male hosts had been present were also attractive. Female parasitoids were equally attracted to patches with the natural host aggregation pheromone, cis-vaccenyl acetate, and synthetic cis-vaccenyl acetate..