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The influence of the rearing host on the response of the parasitoid Venturia canescens (Gravenhorst) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) to odours from Ephestia kuehniella and Plodia interpunctella in a Y-tube olfactometer

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Abstract

Venturia canescens (Gravenhorst) is an ichneumonid generalist parasitoid that successfully attacks the larvae of different lepidopteran pests that infest stored products. These pest species include Plodia interpunctella and Ephestia kuehniella. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the influence of the rearing host on the parasitoid’s ability to detect and respond to a new host different from the rearing species. For this reason, the trials tested the preference of parasitoids reared on P. interpunctella or E. kuehniella for products that were or were not infested with larvae of these hosts. The trials were conducted in a Y-tube olfactometer. Regardless of the rearing host species, the parasitoids showed no preference for uninfested products. The parasitoids were attracted to products infested with larvae of their rearing host in preference to uninfested products. They also showed preferential attraction to products infested with the new host over uninfested products. E. kuehniella was the preferred host, irrespectively of the parasitoid host rearing species. The results are discussed to develop a better understanding of the ecology of V. canescens for its application in biological control.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Miss Silvia Rascón for rearing all the colonies and for her help in the trials and also to Miss Carolina Jimenez. Special thanks to Dr. Jordi Comas Angelet for his help in the statistical analysis. This work was supported by grants from the “Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agraria y Alimentaria, Subprograma Nacional de Recursos y Tecnologías Agrarias en Cooperación con las Comunidades Autónomas” “INIA RTA 2008-00002-CO2-01 (FEDER)” and “INIA RTA 2011-00025-CO2-01 (FEDER)”; and by grant number 64 from the “Programa de Becas Predoctorales para la formación de personal investigador” of the “Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA)”, which was awarded to the first author.

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  1. IRTA, Entomology, Ctra. Cabrils km 2, 08348, Cabrils, Barcelona, Spain

    Consuelo Belda & Jordi Riudavets

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  1. Consuelo Belda
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Correspondence to Jordi Riudavets.

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Belda, C., Riudavets, J. The influence of the rearing host on the response of the parasitoid Venturia canescens (Gravenhorst) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) to odours from Ephestia kuehniella and Plodia interpunctella in a Y-tube olfactometer. BioControl 57, 801–808 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-012-9461-3

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