Insect Science (2016) 23, 603-611

Giovanni Benelli, Nickolas G. Kavallieratos, Elisa Donati, Giulia Giunti, Cesare Stefanini and Angelo Canale (2016)
Singing on the wings! Male wing fanning performances affect female willingness to copulate in the aphid parasitoid Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae)
Insect Science 23 (4), 603-611
Abstract: Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) is a generalist endoparasitoid attacking more than 100 aphid species. In L. testaceipes, wing fanning is a main male courtship display evoked by a female-borne sex pheromone. However, no information is available on the characteristics and behavioral role of male fanning during courtship in this parasitoid. Here, the courtship behavior of a wild strain of L. testaceipes was quantified and the male wing fanning performances were analyzed through high-speed video recordings and examined in relation to mating success. Courtship sequence of wild L. testaceipes did not substantially differ from that previously reported for other populations mass reared on aphids. We observed that the male courtship duration did not affect mating success. However, video analysis revealed that the males producing high-frequency fanning signals achieved higher mating success over those that display low-frequency fanning. Wing fanning before successful and unsuccessful courtship differed in amplitude of wing movements and alignment toward the mate, highlighting that frontal courtship positively influence the female mating decisions. This study increases knowledge on sexual behavior in a key parasitoid of aphids, highlighting the importance of wing fanning among the range of sensory modalities used in the sexual communication of L. testaceipes. From a practical point of view, this information is useful in L. testaceipes-based biocontrol strategies, since it can help to establish parameters for quality checking of mass-reared wasps over time.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Giovanni Benelli, Nickolas G. Kavallieratos, Angelo Canale

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution
rearing/culturing/mass production

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
Lysiphlebus testaceipes (parasitoid)