Ecological Entomology (1996) 21, 227-234

Heather Geitzenauer and Elizabeth Bernays (1996)
Plant effects on prey choice by a vespid wasp, Polistes arizonensis
Ecological Entomology 21 (3), 227-234
Abstract: 1. The effects of sunflower, Helianthus annuus, and groundcherry, Physalis pubescens, eaten by the tobacco budworm (Heliothis virescens), on predation by paper wasps (Polistes arizonensis) were examined.
2. Polistes arizonensis foragers took more caterpillars from H. annuus plants than P. pubescens in paired-choice tests.
3. They took longer to locate prey and apparently gave up searching faster on artificial plants mimicking P. pubescens than on artificial plants mimicking H. annuus.
4. In paired-choice tests for chemical effects, wasps chose more caterpillars within H. annuus odour than in P. pubescens odour.
5. They also chose more H. annuus-reared larvae than P. pubescens-reared larvae when they were presented without plants. Handling time was not affected.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
environment - cropping system/rotation
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
environment/habitat manipulation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Heliothis virescens	Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Polistes (genus - predators)