A Floral-Derived Compound Attractive to the Tephritid Fruit Fly Parasitoid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Abstract

Many adult hymenopteran parasitoids, even host-feeding species, consume the nectar of flowering plants. Previous field studies had identified plants attractive (Lobularia maritima L.) and unattractive (Spermacoce verticillata L) to certain opiine braconids (Hymenoptera). Under laboratory conditions, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead), a parasitoid of tephritid fruit fly larvae and representative opiine, responded in flight tunnels to L. maritima but not to S. verticillata. Volatile chemicals of the two flowers were collected and analyzed by using capillary gas liquid chromatography and mass spectral analysis. Acetophenone was isolated from L. maritima but not from S. verticillata. In flight tunnels, D. longicaudata were exposed to 10 concentrations (doses) of acetophenone. Female parasitoids showed a significant attraction to several acetophenone doses, with concentrations of 25 and 50 ng the most attractive. No odor source, either floral or floral-derived, was attractive to male parasitoids. Reliable trapping systems for parasitoid species, particularly species such as D. longicaudata used for augmentative biological control, would be a valuable monitoring tool. At present, there are few, if any, florally derived synthetic lures for attracting hymenopteran parasitoids.

A Compound Produced by Fruigivorous Tephritidae (Diptera) Larvae Promotes Oviposition Behavior by the Biological Control AgentDiachasmimorpha longicaudata(Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

“…There are at least 5 potential sources of opiine-attractive compounds: fruit, other adult foods such as honey dew or flower-nectar (e.g., acetophenone from Lobularia maritima L. in Rohrig et al 2008;Sivinski et al 2006;Sivinski et al 2011;Wang et al 2011), fruit fly larvae (e.g., para-ethylacetophenone in Stuhl et al 2011b), the by-products of fruit fly infestation and decay (e.g., fungal-derived ethanol, acetaldehyde and acetic acid in Greany et al 1977; 2-phenylethyl acetate unique to infested mango [Mangifera indica L.] in Carrasco et al 2005), and adult-host semiochemicals (e.g., Prokopy & Webster 1978;Roitberg & Lalonde 1991). It seems possible that all of these, in one combination or another, might contribute to a useful monitoring system.…”

Floral scent composition predicts bee pollination system in five butterfly bush (Buddleja, Scrophulariaceae) species

“…We detected the species-specific scent compounds, or 'indicator' compounds, of each species with high intraspecific specificity and fidelity (Table S3). Interestingly, most 'indicator' compounds detected from the Buddleja species can elicit strong responses in the antennae of bees in other angiosperms, e.g., cis-linalool oxide, 3-methyl-1-butanol, acaryophyllene, 4,8-dimethylnona-1,3,7-triene, terpinolene, bpinene, trans-b-bergamotene, tetradecane and cis-b-ocimene (Dani et al 1998;Rose et al 1998;Ônsoli et al 2002;Fortunato et al 2004;Ono 2005;Chen & Song 2008;Rohrig et al 2008), and hence can serve as attraction signals to bees. This suggests that bees were a potential pollinator type for the five Buddleja species.…”

“…S2). Interestingly, all five scent compounds have been shown to stimulate foraging behaviour in bees (Dani et al 1998;Borg-Karlson et al 2003;Eltz et al 2006;Rohrig et al 2008;Jarau et al 2012). Among the five Buddleja species, only B. crispa emitted abundant benzaldehyde and lilac aldehyde, which can elicit strong foraging behaviour in butterflies (Honda 1980;Schulz et al 1993;Honda et al 1998;Anderson 2003;Andersson & Dobson 2003;D€ otterl et al 2006;Gu edot et al 2008).…”

Estimating attraction of Syrphidae (Diptera) to flowering plants with interception traps

“…1 in Section 2.5). Wild plants were regularly removed within 3 m of the weed cloth margins (Rohrig, Sivinski, Teal, Stuhl, & Aluja, 2006). For trapping designs no.…”