Migratory flight behaviour of the pollen beetle Meligethes aeneus.

Background: The field ecology of the pollen beetle Meligethes aeneus and its damaging effects on oilseed rape crops are well understood. However, the flight behaviour of M. aeneus, in particular the drivers for migratory movements across the landscape, is not well studied.

Effect of the presence of a nonhost herbivore on the response of the aphid parasitoid Diaeretiella rapae to host-infested cabbage plants.

The vast majority of studies of plant indirect defense strategies have considered simple tritrophic systems that involve plant responses to attack by a single herbivore species. However, responses by predators and parasitoids to specific, herbivore-induced, volatile blends could be compromised when two or more different herbivores are feeding on the same plant. In Y-tube olfactometer studies, we investigated the responses of an aphid parasitoid, Diaeretiella rapae (McIntosh) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), to odors from cabbage plants infested with the peach-potato aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Homoptera: Aphididae), in both the presence and absence of a lepidopteran caterpillar, Plutella xylostella L.

Response of the aphid parasitoid Aphidius funebris to volatiles from undamaged and aphid-infested Centaurea nigra.

Two issues have hindered the understanding of the ecology and evolution of volatile-mediated tritrophic interactions: few studies have addressed noncrop systems; and few statistical techniques have been applied that are suitable for the analysis of complex volatile blends. In this paper, we addressed both of these issues by studying the noncrop system involving the plant Centaurea nigra, the specialist aphid Uroleucon jaceae, and the parasitoid Aphidius funebris. In a Y-tube olfactometer, A.

Chemically mediated intraguild predator avoidance by aphid parasitoids: interspecific variability in sensitivity to semiochemical trails of ladybird predators.

The avoidance responses of aphid parasitoids with varying host ranges (Aphidius eadyi, Aphidius ervi, and Praon volucre) to chemical trails deposited by intraguild predatory ladybirds, Coccinella septempunctata and Adalia bipunctata, were investigated. Females of all three parasitoid species avoided leaves previously visited by C. septempunctata or A.

The role of semiochemicals in the avoidance of the seven-spot ladybird, Coccinella septempunctata, by the aphid parasitoid, Aphidius ervi.

The role of semiochemicals in mediating intraguild interactions between the seven-spot ladybird, Coccinella septempunctata, and the aphid parasitoid, Aphidius ervi, was investigated. Female parasitoids avoided leaves visited by C. septempunctata adults and larvae during the previous 24 hr.

Manipulation of parasitoids for aphid pest management: progress and prospects.

This paper describes research at IACR-Rothamsted on aphid parasitoid responses to semiochemical foraging stimuli, aimed at developing novel ways of manipulating these behaviours to overcome ecological constraints to biological and integrated pest control. Female parasitoids respond both to aphid sex pheromones acting as kairomones, and to aphid-induced plant volatiles, acting as synomones. A range of economically important parasitoid species respond to aphid sex pheromones, and their potential for enhancing parasitization of aphid populations has been demonstrated in the field.