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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Crop Bioprotection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #309163
Title: Attraction of spathius agrili yang (Hymenoptera: eulophidae) to male-produced "aggregation-sex pheromone:" differences between the sexes and mating status

Author
item COOPERBAND, MIRIAM - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
item HARTNESS, ASHLEY - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS), National Wildlife Center
item Zilkowski, Bruce
item LELITO, JON - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
item Cosse, Allard

Submitted to: Journal of Insect Behavior
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/9/2015
Publication Date: 3/7/2015
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/62237
Citation: Cooperband, M., Hartness, A., Zilkowski, B.W., Lelito, J., Cosse, A.A. 2015. Attraction of spathius agrili yang (Hymenoptera: eulophidae) to male-produced "aggregation-sex pheromone:" differences between the sexes and mating status. Journal of Insect Behavior. 28(2):167-174.

Interpretive Summary: The emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is an invasive species of wood boring beetle from Asia, that seriously threatens north American ash trees. Three natural enemies in the shape of none-stinging parasitoid wasps from Asia have been introduced into North America in attempts to control EAB (biocontrol). One of the species is called Spathius agrili and we have identified the pheromone released by males of these wasps that are used for mate location. This attractive pheromone is now tested in the field in combination with traps in order to study the spread of the introduced wasp and their success in controlling EAB. In order to better understand who is responding to the pheromone-baited traps we conducted a laboratory study of virgin and mated male and female S. agrili. The results showed that both virgin males and females are attracted to the pheromone, but mated females stop being attracted, whereas mated males are still fully attracted to the pheromone. The outcome of this study lets us better understand and interpret the results from field trapping experiments and give us a better understanding of the increase of field populations of this biocontrol parasitic wasp.

Technical Abstract: Male and female Spathius agrili Yang were tested for attraction to the synthetic male pheromone. Lures consisting of a 3-component pheromone blend were placed in the center of a white filter paper target used to activate upwind flight in the wind tunnel. When virgin males and females were tested for attraction, both sexes were attracted to the lure prior to mating. However, only males were attracted to the pheromone lures after mating. In another experiment, of females that flew to the lure as virgins, half were mated and the other half were not, and mated females were no longer attracted. Then both mated and virgin females were provided with host material (emerald ash borer larvae in sticks of ash) to determine if oviposition affected attraction. They were supplied with fresh hosts ad libidum and subsequently tested for attraction for 50 d, and results showed that oviposition did not affect attraction to the pheromone. The key factor in attraction to the pheromone was mating. Because this pheromone is released by one sex and is attractive to both sexes for the purpose of mating, it qualifies as an “aggregation-sex pheromone.”