CAN AN Anastrepha fraterculus (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE) DIET CHANGE ITS NATURAL ENEMY'S SEARCH BEHAVIOR

Abstract

Aganaspis pelleranoi (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) is a neotropical parasitoid, natural control agent of Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae), often found in myrtle orchards. Despite the importance of this natural enemy, few studies have been conducted to evaluate the influence of the parasitoid host habitat, in the adult search behavior. The work aimed to evaluate the chemotaxis of A. pelleranoi females from A. fraterculus larvae kept on artificial diet and apple (Malus domestica Borkh), var. Red delicious. Third instar larvae reared for up to two generations on these substrates were exposed to parasitism by A. pelleranoi and then placed in plastic pots with sand until emergence. Four to six-day-old females that emerged from larvae raised on artificial (control) or apple diets were submitted to a Y olfactometer with the following contrasts: infested guava vs. infested apple. First generation A. pelleranoi females from artificial and apple diets preferred guava odors. However, parasitoids larvae kept for two generations in apple fruit modified their behavior and were more attracted to volatiles from this fruit compared to guava. It has been found that A. pelleranoi search behavior can be modified when the second generation is kept in apple-fed larvae.