Infochemical use for host finding by parasitic wasps

Status: current
Project begin: 01.03.2003
Sponsor mark: DFG 841/6-1

Description

Carnivores are confronted with the problem to find their small, inconspicuous prey or host organisms in complex environments. The aim of the project is to understand how carnivores solve this problem. As model organisms we use parasitic wasps, so-called parasitoids, which lay eggs in other organisms, mostly other insects and which develop in or on the host organisms. Because host finding is essential for reproduction in these wasps, a strong selection pressure acts on all characters connected to host finding. Among others, we study the following aspects:

Which behaviours are involved in host finding by parasitic wasps?
Which infochemicals are used for host finding?
What is the role of behavioural plasticity, learning, and memory structure for host finding?

Involved persons

Involved institutions

AG Terrestrische Ökologie

Publications in the course of the project

Species-specific variation in acquisition and consolidation of long-term memory in two closely related parasitic wasp species.
2007: Smid, H.M., Wang, G., Bukovinszky, T., Steidle, J. L. M., Bleeker, M. A. K., van Loon, J. J. A., Vet. L. E. M.
The biology of Lariophagus distinguendus: a natural enemy of stored product pests and potential candidate for biocontrol.
1998: Steidle, J. L. M.
Learning pays off: Influence of experience on host finding and parasitism in Lariophagus distinguendus (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae).
1998: Steidle, J. L. M.
Host recognition cues of the granary weevil parasitoid Lariophagus distinguendus (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae).
2000: Steidle, J. L. M.
Quantity does matter: How feces are used for host stage selection by the granary weevil parasitoid Lariophagus distinguendus.
2000: Steidle, J. L. M. & Fischer, A.
Chemicals used for host recognition by the granary weevil parasitoid Lariophagus distinguendus.
2000: Steidle, J. L. M. & Ruther, J.
The use of pheromones as host finding kairomones by the generalist parasitoid Lariophagus distinguendus Förster (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae).
2001: Steidle, J. L. M., Steppuhn, A. & Ruther, J.
Volatile cues from different host complexes used for host location by the generalist parasitoid Lariophagus distinguendus (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae).
2001: Steidle, J. L. M., Steppuhn, A. & Reinhard, J.
The use of general infochemicals in a generalist parasitoid.
2001: Steidle, J. L. M., Lanka, J. Müller, C. & Ruther, J.
Chemoecology of parasitoid and predator oviposition behaviour.
2002: Steidle, J. L. M., van Loon, J. J. A.
Dietary specialization and infochemical use in carnivorous arthropods: testing a concept.
2003: Steidle, J. L. M. & van Loon, J. J. A.
Specific foraging kairomones used by a generalist parasitoid.
2003: Steidle, J. L. M., Steppuhn, A. & Ruther, J.
Low humidity as a cue for habitat preference in the parasitoid Lariophagus distinguendus (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae).
2003: Steidle, J. L. M. & Reinhard, J.
Do grains whisper for help? Evidence for herbivore induced synomones in wheat grains
2005: Steidle, J. L. M., Fischer, A., Gantert, C.
Associative learning and memory duration in the parasitic wasp Lariophagus distinguendus
2005: Müller, C,. Collatz, J., Wieland, R., Steidle, J. L. M.
Differences in memory dynamics between two closely related parasitoid wasp species.
2006: Bleeker, M. A. K., Smid, H., Steidle, J. L. M., Kruidhof, M., van Loon, J. J. A., Vet, L. E. M.
Protein-synthesis dependent long-term memory induced by one single associative training trial in the parasitic wasp Lariophagus distinguendus.
2006: Collatz, J., Müller, C., Steidle, J.L.M.
Olfactory host location and learning in the granary weevil parasitoid Lariophagus distinguendus (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae).
1997: Steidle, J. L. M. & Schöller