Journal of Insect Behavior (2010) 23, 419-430

Lukasz L. Stelinski, D.R. Boina and W.L. Meyer (2010)
Oviposition marking behavior of Diachasma alloeum, (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), parasitizing Rhagoletis pomonella, (Diptera: Tephritidae)
Journal of Insect Behavior 23 (6), 419-430
Abstract: Diachasma alloeum (Muesebeck) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a solitary larval endoparasitoid attacking Rhagoletis (Diptera: Tephritidae) species. Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh) mark the surface of fruit after oviposition with an oviposition marking pheromone (OMP) which deters conspecific female flies. Herein we demonstrate that female D. alloeum wasps reared from either apple or hawthorn race R. pomenella larvae also deposit an OMP that reduces oviposition by conspecific female wasps. Significantly fewer wasps accepted fruit that had received prior wasp oviposition and OMP or OMP alone without oviposition compared with control fruit for a minimum of 7 days on both fruit types. Rinsing fruit with a 50% ethanol solution appeared to remove the OMP rendering fruit more acceptable for oviposition than marked fruit that was not rinsed. Wasps of each host race were able to detect and avoid the OMP of the sister race and fruit substrate type did not affect wasp response to the pheromone. The possibility of an internal marker deposited during oviposition is also discussed.
(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): Lukasz Stelinski, Dhana Raj Boina

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Rhagoletis pomonella
Diachasma alloeum (parasitoid)	Rhagoletis pomonella