Host location by the fruit fly parasitoid Diachasmimorpha krausii: role of fruit fly species,life stage and host plant

• 1 Diachasmimorpha krausii is a braconid parasitoid of larval tephritid fruit flies, which feed cryptically within host fruit. At the ovipositor probing stage, the wasp cannot discriminate between hosts that are physiologically suitable or unsuitable for offspring development and must use other cues to locate suitable hosts.
• 2 To identify the cues used by the parasitoid to find suitable hosts, we offered, to free flying wasps, different combinations of three fruit fly species (Bactrocera tryoni, Bactrocera cacuminata, Bactrocera cucumis), different life stages of those flies (adults and larvae) and different host plants (Solanum lycopersicon, Solanum mauritianum, Cucurbita pepo). In the laboratory, the wasp will readily oviposit into larvae of all three flies but successfully develops only in B. tryoni. Bactrocera tryoni commonly infests S. lycopersicon (tomato), rarely S. mauritianum (wild tobacco) but never C. pepo (zucchini). The latter two plant species are common hosts for B. cacuminata and B. cucumis, respectively.
• 3 The parasitoid showed little or no response to uninfested plants of any of the test species. The presence of adult B. tryoni, however, increased parasitoid residency time on uninfested tomato.
• 4 When the three fruit types were all infested with larvae, parasitoid response was strongest to tomato, regardless of whether the larvae were physiologically suitable or unsuitable for offspring development. By contrast, zucchini was rarely visited by the wasp, even when infested with B. tryoni larvae.
• 5 Wild tobacco was infrequently visited when infested with B. cacuminata larvae but was more frequently visited, with greater parasitoid residency time and probing, when adult flies (either B. cacuminata or B. tryoni) were also present.
• 6 We conclude that herbivore‐induced, nonspecific host fruit wound volatiles were the major cue used by foraging D. krausii. Although positive orientation to infested host plants is well known from previous studies on opiine braconids, the failure of the wasp to orientate to some plants even when infested with physiologically suitable larvae, and the secondary role played by adult fruit flies in wasp host searching, are newly‐identified mechanisms that may aid parasitoid host location in environments where both physiologically suitable and unsuitable hosts occur.

     

Preference and performance of Diachasmimorpha kraussii (Fullaway) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on five commercial fruit species

Diachasmimorpha kraussii is a polyphagous endoparasitoid of dacine fruit flies. The fruit fly hosts of D. krausii, in turn, attack a wide range of fruits and vegetables. The role that fruits play in host selection behaviour of D. kraussii has not been previously investigated. This study examines fruit preference of D. kraussii through a laboratory choice‐test trial and field fruit sampling. In the laboratory trial, oviposition preference and offspring performance measures (sex ratio, developmental time, body length, hind tibial length) of D. kraussii were investigated with respect to five fruit species [Psidium guajava L. (guava), Prunis persica L. (peach), Malus domestica Borkh. (apple), Pyrus communis L. (pear) and Citrus sinensis L. (orange)], and two fruit fly species (Bactrocera jarvisi and B. tryoni). Diachasmimorpha kraussii responded to infested fruit of all fruit types in both choice and no‐choice tests, but showed stronger preference for guava and peach in the choice tests irrespective of the species of fly larvae within the fruit. The wasp did not respond to uninfested fruit. The offspring performance measures differed in a non‐consistent fashion between the fruit types, but generally wasp offspring performed better in guava, peach and orange. The offspring sex ratio, except for one fruit/fly combination (B. jarvisi in apple), was always female biased. The combined results suggest that of the five fruits tested, guava and peach are the best fruit substrates for D. krausii. Field sampling indicated a non‐random use of available, fruit fly infested fruit by D. kraussii. Fruit fly maggots within two fruit species, Plachonia careya and Terminalia cattappa, had disproportionately higher levels of D. krausii parasitism than would be expected based on the proportion of different infested fruit species sampled, or levels of fruit fly infestation within those fruit.     

Combination of edible vegetable oil and artificial fruit to reduce Bactrocera dorsalis oviposition in chilli fruits

Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) is a major pest of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. This study aimed to evaluate the potency of combining edible vegetable oil application and artificial fruit provision to reduce the oviposition of B. dorsalis in chilli fruits. Experiments were conducted in laboratory using a 20‐L plastic container provided with chilli fruits and in semi field using a fruit‐bearing chilli plant caged with insect screen. The laboratory test revealed that the combination of coconut oil application and artificial fruit provision significantly reduced fruit fly visits, eggs laid and the number of infested chilli fruits no matter when the chilli fruits were without prepuncture or with prepuncture. Further study using a caged chilli plant also found that this combination had significant effects on fruit fly visits and infestation in chilli fruits. These results provide an indication that coconut oil and artificial fruit can work together to reduce fruit fly attacks on chilli fruits. Combining the use of coconut oil and artificial fruit is likely to create an integrated behavioural manipulation (push and pull) of female B. dorsalis that lead to a much lower fruit fly infestation in chilli fruits.     

Mango seed weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and premature fruit drop in mangoes

The effect of infestations of mango seed weevil, Sternochetus mangiferae (F.), on premature fruit drop of mangoes was investigated. Mango fruits ('Haden') of equal size were collected both off the ground and from the tree at four times during the season (June-August). If weevil-infested fruit were more prone to dropping than uninfested fruit, the prediction was that a higher infestation rate would be found in fruit on the ground compared with fruit on the tree. Average fruit weight was used as an indicator of fruit maturity. The seed infestation rate was significantly higher in fruit collected off the ground compared with fruit collected from the tree in 38 g and 79 g (early-season) fruit but not significantly different in 207 g (midseason) and 281 g (late season) fruit. The age distribution of weevils and the number of insects in infested fruits were similar for ground and tree fruits on all dates. Results suggest that mango seed weevil infestation can increase fruit drop during early fruit development.     

Effect of marking pheromone on clutch size in the Mediterranean fruit fly

Abstract Using acridine orange to selectively stain eggs, we showed that wild-collected female Mediterranean fruit flies (Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann) laid fewer eggs per clutch in fruit previously infested with eggs than in uninfested fruit. This effect is apparently attributable to marking pheromone deposited by females after oviposition: clutch size on fruit infested with eggs but free of marking pheromone was not statistically different from that on uninfested fruit. Clutch size on uninfested fruit on which marking pheromone was artificially transferred was significantly lower than that on uninfested and untreated fruit. Marking pheromone had a comparable though not statistically significant effect on the clutch size of females originating from a strain maintained in the laboratory for several hundred generations.     

Infestation of fruit by conspecific and heterospecific females deters oviposition in two Tephritidae fruit fly species

Tephritidae fruit fly larvae develop entirely in the host chosen by the females. To improve the fitness of their progeny, females would benefit from rejecting previously exploited hosts. Anastrepha fraterculus and Ceratitis capitata are two species of fruit flies having similar nutritional requirements and overlapping in their distribution. Previous studies found that competition between the larvae of these species might reach high levels, suggesting that cross-recognition would be an adaptive trait. In this work, we tested the ability of A. fraterculus and C. capitata females to recognize and avoid fruits previously infested by both conspecific and heterospecific females. In laboratory behavioural arenas, females were presented with fruits that had been previously exposed to either conspecific or heterospecific females. Then, we conducted choice and non-choice assays to compare the response of A. fraterculus and C. capitata females to infested and non-infested fruits. In non-choice tests, the females from both species rejected fruits previously infested by conspecific and heterospecific individuals. However, the rejection occurred at different steps of the sequence leading to oviposition: A. fraterculus showed a lower rate of visits to infested fruits, whereas C. capitata visited both infested and non-infested fruits, but the latency to visit a fruit and the rejection frequency were higher and the duration of the visit to infested fruit was lower. In choice assays, the rejection of heterospecific infested fruit was higher than that of conspecific infested fruits, for both species. Our results suggest that, regardless of the sensory mechanism used by females, the recognition of previous infestation is bidirectional and females of both species, belonging to different genera, recognize fruit infested by heterospecifics. These responses indicate that cross-recognition, supposedly a highly beneficial trait, could be occurring in nature, thus reducing interspecific competition and contributing to the coexistence of these species.     

An improved culturing method for opiine fruit fly parasitoids and its application to parasitoid monitoring in the field

Good culturing methods play an important role in the study of insect behavior and its application to pest management. Here, we describe and validate a new method for rearing the parasitoid wasp, Diachasmimorpha kraussii, which attacks some of the world's worst fruit fly pests and is an internationally used biological control agent. Our method differs from standard culturing approaches by presenting adult wasps with host‐infested artificial media within a “culturing bag,” which mimics a natural (fruit) oviposition substrate. In laboratory trials using wild collected D. kraussii, the culturing bag method was compared to the use of host‐infested nectarines, and a commonly used laboratory method of presenting host‐infested artificial media within Petri dishes. The culturing bag method proved to be a significant improvement on both methods, combining the advantages of high host survival in artificial media with parasitism levels that were the equivalent to those recorded using host‐infested fruits. In our field study, culturing bags infested with the Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni, and hung in a mixed peach and nectarine orchard proved to be effective “artificial fruits” attracting wild D. kraussii for oviposition. Significantly more adult wasps were reared from the culturing bags compared to field collected fruits. This was shown to be due to higher fruit fly larval density in the bags, as similar percentage parasitism rates were found between the culturing bags and ripe fruits. We discuss how this cheap, time‐efficient method could be applied to collecting and monitoring wild D. kraussii populations in orchards, and assist in maintaining genetic variability in parasitoid laboratory cultures.     

Mediterranean fruit fly as a potential vector of bacterial pathogens

The Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) is a cosmopolitan pest of hundreds of species of commercial and wild fruits. It is considered a major economic pest of commercial fruits in the world. Adult Mediterranean fruit flies feed on all sorts of protein sources, including animal excreta, in order to develop eggs. After reaching sexual maturity and copulating, female flies lay eggs in fruit by puncturing the skin with their ovipositors and injecting batches of eggs into the wounds. In view of the increase in food-borne illnesses associated with consumption of fresh produce and unpasteurized fruit juices, we investigated the potential of Mediterranean fruit fly to serve as a vector for transmission of human pathogens to fruits. Addition of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged Escherichia coli to a Mediterranean fruit fly feeding solution resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the fly's bacterial load. Flies exposed to fecal material enriched with GFP-tagged E. coli were similarly contaminated and were capable of transmitting E. coli to intact apples in a cage model system. Washing contaminated apples with tap water did not eliminate the E. coli. Flies inoculated with E. coli harbored the bacteria for up to 7 days following contamination. Fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that the majority of fluorescent bacteria were confined along the pseudotrachea in the labelum edge of the fly proboscis. Wild flies captured at various geographic locations were found to carry coliforms, and in some cases presumptive identification of E. coli was made. These findings support the hypothesis that the common Mediterranean fruit fly is a potential vector of human pathogens to fruits.     

Olfactory response of three parasitoid species (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) to volatiles of guavas infested or not with fruit fly larvae (Diptera: Tephritidae)

The olfactory responses of the native parasitoids Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti) and Asobara anastrephae (Muesebeck) and of the exotic parasitoid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) to guava (Psidium guajava L.) infested or not with fruit fly larvae were evaluated. D. areolatus and D. longicaudata females responded to the odors of uninfested rotting guavas, although D. areolatus was also attracted to fruits at the initial maturation (turning) stage. The females of these species recognized the volatiles of guavas containing Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) larvae. However, in bioassays involving fruits with larvae of different instars, D. longicaudata females were not able to separate between fruits containing C. capitata larvae at the initial instars and larvae at the third instar. In the evaluations of volatiles released by guavas containing C. capitata and Anastrepha fraterculus (Wied.) larvae, the D. longicaudata females were oriented toward the volatiles of fruits containing both host species, but differed significantly from volatiles of guavas containing C. capitata larvae. The D. areolatus females also showed responses to both species, although with a preference for volatiles of fruits containing A. fraterculus larvae. The A. anastrephae females were oriented toward the odors of fruits infested with both fruit fly species. In the shade house, D. longicaudata females were oriented to volatiles of rotting fruits containing larvae or not, but could not significantly differentiate between hosts. D. areolatus females were not attracted toward fruits on the ground in the shade house, regardless of host, suggesting that this parasitoid does not forage on fallen fruits.     

DISTRIBUTION OF THE ORIENTAL FRUIT FLY (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE) IN YUNNAN PROVINCE*

Abstract The Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel (Diptera: Tephritidae), is a serious pest inaect for vegetables and fruits in Yunnan Province. The trap experiments located in 12 counties of Yunnan indicated that, the geographical distribution of Oriental fruit fly there could be plotted as three distribution zones. To the south of Guannan, Yuanjiang and Rulin is the annual distribution zone. In this region, the Oriental fruit fly completed 4–5 generations per year, and infested the local vegetables and fruits all the year around. To the north of Luku, Dayiao and Qujing is the zone without the insect, where the Oriental fruit fly was not trapped and no fruits infested by the fly were found during the present study. The region between the above two zones was the seasonal distribution zone for the insect. The fruit fly occurred only during May to December in this area, and completed 2–3 generations in this period. The peak abundance of the oriental fruit fly took place from June in Jinghong to October in Yiaoan, along the altitude graduates from the south to the north. In elevation, the Oriental fruit fly was trapped at altitude of 500–2300 m above sea level, in which high trap catches appeared between 500–1000 m. It is proposed that the variations of the fruit fly distribution in altitude and latitude are principally correlated with local temperatures and host plants.     

桔小实蝇在中国云南省的分布(英文)

在云南 1 2个县的诱捕试验表明 ,桔小实蝇在云南的分布可以划分为 3个区域。广南、元江和瑞丽以南的地区为该虫常年发生区。在该区域内 ,桔小实蝇年发生 4- 5代 ,可对瓜果形成周年危害。位于六库、大姚和曲靖以北的地区为该虫的非分布区。本试验未能在该地区诱捕到桔小实蝇或桔小实蝇受害果。位于上述两区域之间的区域为桔小实蝇季节性分布区。桔小实蝇在该地区年发生 2 - 3代 ,出现于 5- 1 1月。桔小实蝇在分布区内不同地区的发生高峰期 ,由南向北逐渐推移 ,如在景洪为 6月而在姚安为 1 0月。在地理垂直分布上 ,该虫主要分布于海拔 50 0 - 2 30 0m范围内 ,而其在 50 0 - 1 0 0 0m范围内发生量最大。研究认为 ,桔小实蝇在上述经度和海拔范围的发生与分布 ,主要与当地气候条件与寄主植物有关。     

Host species and vegetable fruit suitability and preference by the parasitoid wasp Fopius arisanus

Parasitoids that oviposit in a concealed host inside a plant part need to be able to find both the plant and the host. Egg parasitoids of fruit‐infesting Tephritidae need to assess the oviposition site based both on the host egg and the infested fruit. Infestation by Tephritidae fruit flies threatens fruit and vegetable production. Management methods have been implemented including biological control, using Fopius arisanus Sonan (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). The parasitism by F. arisanus in three Tephritidae flies in vegetable fruits was investigated. Laboratory assays were conducted to assess the parasitoid's preference and survival. Zucchini, sweet pepper, and tomato were artificially infested with eggs of Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel, Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann, and Ceratitis cosyra Walker (all Diptera: Tephritidae), then exposed to mated naïve F. arisanus females in a 20:1 egg:parasitoid ratio. Parasitoid behavioral activities (resting, antennating, probing, ovipositing) were observed on the infested fruits. Parasitism rate was determined by dissection of fruit fly eggs under a stereomicroscope. Behavioral activities of F. arisanus differed between all the fruits when infested with B. dorsalis or C. cosyra eggs but differed only between some of the fruits when infested with C. capitata. Fopius arisanus preferred B. dorsalis over C. capitata and C. cosyra, with a parasitism rate 2× higher on B. dorsalis compared to the Ceratitis species. Preference for fruits was dependent on the infesting fruit fly. The emergence of F. arisanus was higher with B. dorsalis than with Ceratitis spp. Although B. dorsalis completed its development earlier than Ceratitis spp., host fly species did not affect the developmental time of F. arisanus. We discuss the significance of F. arisanus preference in relation to naturally occurring Tephritidae infestations. We also discuss whether some fruits might constitute a refuge for Tephritidae flies and whether this will affect the current biological control efforts against B. dorsalis.     

Response of the fruit fly parasitoid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata to host and host‐habitat volatile cues

Chemical information is crucial to insect parasitoids for successful host location. Here, we evaluated the innate response of Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a fruit fly larval parasitoid, to cues from host and host habitat (i.e., fruit infested with host larvae). We first assessed the preference of female parasitoids between oranges infested with Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) and non‐infested fruit. Females were highly attracted towards infested oranges on the basis of volatile chemical cues. After this initial experiment, we aimed at revealing the potential sources of volatile cues present in an infested fruit. To this end, we considered five potential sources: (1) punctured fruit; (2) fly feeding, frass, or host‐marking pheromone deposited on the orange surface; (3) larval activity inside the fruit; (4) the larvae themselves; and (5) fungi associated with infestation of oranges. Habitat cues associated with host activity and those produced by rotten oranges or oranges colonized by fungi were highly attractive for female wasps, whereas odours associated with the activity of the adults on the surface of the fruit, and those released by the fruit after being damaged (as happens during fruit fly egg‐laying) were not used as cues by female parasitoids. Once the female had landed on the fruit, direct cues associated with larval activity became important although some indirect signals (e.g., products derived from larval activity inside the fruit) also increased host searching activity. Our findings indicate that naïve D. longicaudata uses chemical cues during host habitat searching and that these cues are produced both by the habitat and by the host larvae.     

The abundant class III chitinase homolog in young developing banana fruits behaves as a transient vegetative storage protein and most probably serves as an important supply of amino acids for the synthesis of ripening-associated proteins

Analyses of the protein content and composition revealed dramatic changes in gene expression during in situ banana (Musa spp.) fruit formation/ripening. The total banana protein content rapidly increases during the first 60 to 70 d, but remains constant for the rest of fruit formation/ripening. During the phase of rapid protein accumulation, an inactive homolog of class III chitinases accounts for up to 40% (w/v) of the total protein. Concomitant with the arrest of net protein accumulation, the chitinase-related protein (CRP) progressively decreases and several novel proteins appear in the electropherograms. Hence, CRP behaves as a fruit-specific vegetative storage protein that accumulates during early fruit formation and serves as a source of amino acids for the synthesis of ripening-associated proteins. Analyses of individual proteins revealed that a thaumatin-like protein, a beta-1,3-glucanase, a class I chitinase, and a mannose-binding lectin are the most abundant ripening-associated proteins. Because during the ripening of prematurely harvested bananas, similar changes take place as in the in situ ripening bananas, CRP present in immature fruits is a sufficient source of amino acids for a quasi-normal synthesis of ripening-associated proteins. However, it is evident that the conversion of CRP in ripening-associated proteins takes place at an accelerated rate, especially when climacteric ripening is induced by ethylene. The present report also includes a discussion of the accumulation of the major banana allergens and the identification of suitable promoters for the production of vaccines in transgenic bananas.     

Effect of mango weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) damage on mango seed viability in Hawaii

The mango weevil, Cryptorhynchus (= Sternochetus) mangiferae (F.), is a federally quarantined pest that prevents shipment of mangos from Hawaii into the continental United States. Although this monophagous weevil allegedly causes reduced seed germination, damage to the fruit pulp, and premature fruit drop in mangos, there are few studies examining these potential sources of crop loss. We conducted studies to assess the effect of mango weevil infestation on seed viability while making observations on the frequency of pulp feeding. Naturally infested seeds from mature fruit were planted in pots and scored for successful germination. Germination rates for infested seeds were equal to those of uninfested control seeds in a polyembryonic cultivar ('Common'), whereas germination was significantly reduced for infested seeds of a monoembryonic cultivar ('Haden') compared with uninfested control seeds but germination of infested seeds was still > 70%. To assess seed tolerance of damage, seeds were artificially damaged by cutting away 25, 50, or 75% of the cotyledon before planting and scored for germination. None of the damage treatments was significantly different from the undamaged controls, indicating that mango seeds can withstand substantial damage and still germinate successfully. Over the 2-yr period we conducted experiments, only four of 3,602 mango fruits (0.11%) showed evidence of direct feeding damage to the pulp. Results suggest that C. mangiferae is a less serious pest of mangos than previously thought.     

Enhancement of plant growth by Zygorrhynchus moelleri

Cucumber, tomato, two flowering annuals and a flowering perennial produced plants of greater weight in soilless compost infested with Zygorrhynchus moelleri than in uninfested compost. In Z. moelleri -infested compost the annuals commenced flowering 4 to 10 days earlier, cucumbers produced mature fruits more rapidly and a greater weight (20%) of fruit was harvested from 15-wk-old tomato plants. Leaves of 11 and 15-wk-old tomato plants grown in infested compost contained more chlorophyll than leaves from plants in uninfested compost. Z. moelleri was isolated from 99% of segments cut from roots of tomato plants grown in infested compost and it suppressed the growth of Trichoderma spp. at the root surface. Propagules of Z. moelleri remained viable in air-dried compost for at least 12 months. In axenic culture, Z. moelleri enhanced lateral root development in tomato and cucumber seedlings.     

Are insect frugivores always plant pests? The impact of fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) larvae on host plant fitness

Herbivory is generally regarded as negatively impacting on host plant fitness. Frugivorous insects, which feed directly on plant reproductive tissues, are predicted to be particularly damaging to hosts. We tested this prediction with the fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni, by recording the impact of larval feeding on two direct (seed number and germination) and two indirect (fruit decay rate and attraction/deterrence of vertebrate frugivores) measures of host plant fitness. Experiments were done in the laboratory, glasshouse and tropical rainforest. We found no negative impact of larval feeding on seed number or germination for three test plants: tomato, capsicum and eggplant. Further, larval feeding accelerated the initiation of decay and increased the final level of fruit decay in tomatoes, apples, pawpaw and pear, a result considered to be beneficial to the fruit. In rainforest studies, native rodents preferred infested apple and pears compared to uninfested control fruit; however, there were no differences observed between treatments for tomato and pawpaw. For our study fruits, these results demonstrate that fruit fly larval infestation has neutral or beneficial impacts on the host plant, an outcome which may be largely influenced by the physical properties of the host. These results may contribute to explaining why fruit flies have not evolved the same level of host specialization generally observed for other herbivore groups.     

Identification of an ETR1-homologue from mango fruit expressing during fruit ripening and wounding

We have isolated a mango (Mangifera indica L.) cDNA homologue of the ethylene receptor gene ETR-1, referred to as METR1, which codes for a polypeptide of 802 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 89 kDa. The amino acid sequence is highly homologous (over 80 percnt;) to ETRs from other fruits. Genomic Southern blot analysis indicates that two or more ETR homologues exist in mango. RNA blot analysis revealed that the level of METR1 mRNA in the mesocarp increased during fruit ripening. In addition, it was found that the METR1 mRNA increases transiently during wounding of the tissue. This is the first report of an ETR homologue showing an induction during fruit ripening and wounding.     

Queen palm fruit selection and foraging techniques of squirrels in the Atlantic Forest

Queen palm seeds (Syagrus romanzoffiana) are a vital source of nutrients for Ingram's squirrel (Guerlinguetus ingrami), a common inhabitant of the Atlantic forest biome of Brazil. G. ingrami acts as both a seed predator and disperser of this important palm; however, little is known about how G. ingrami selects or efficiently opens queen palm seeds. The objectives of this study were to: (1) investigate the squirrel's capacity to determine the germinal orifice among the fruit's three pores, which permits more efficient opening of the fruit; (2) assess whether the thickness and size of the fruit endocarp influence the squirrel's palm selection during foraging; and (3) evaluate whether the rodents preferentially select fruits with invertebrate infestations. To answer these questions, we used a series of behavioral experiments measuring patterns of squirrel feeding behavior (fruit opening, fruit selection, and patch selection), controlling for environmental variables. We found that (1) squirrels identify the queen palm germinal pore by its greater relative depth to the other pores; (2) the average size and thickness of fruit does not influence the squirrel's choice of palm for foraging; and (3) squirrels preferentially consume fruits infested by invertebrates. The development of methods for more efficient processing of queen palm fruit highlights the importance of this resource for G. ingrami. In addition, due to its preferential selection of infested fruits, G. ingrami may benefit palms by reducing parasite population loads.     

The host- and microhabitat olfactory location by Fopius arisanus suggests a broad potential host range

Abstract.  The identification of infochemicals for parasitoid females is a critical issue in applied and fundamental parasitoid research. The olfactory location of host and its microhabitat by Fopius arisanus (Sonan, 1932) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), an egg-pupal parasitoid of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae), is investigated. Potential sources of volatiles are placed in opaque traps and tested in field cages, under seminatural conditions. Fopius arisanus females respond positively to synomones from mango leaves and from fruits belonging to many botanical families, including the nonhost plant strawberry. They prefer fruits infested by Tephritidae to uninfested ones but do not discriminate between fresh and old infestations. Fopius arisanus females are attracted by the odours of faeces of the tephritid fly Bactrocera zonata . They exhibit remote detection of a volatile kairomone coating the egg mass of all tested Tephritidae species but absent in the egg mass of the Muscidae Stomoxys calcitrans . All these infochemicals are volatile but only those emanating from fruit and from faeces are attractants perceived before landing. The relationships between this apparent generalist behaviour and the dietary specialization of F. arisanus are discussed, according to its ecology and behaviour in its natural environment.