The effect of parasitism by Aphelinus abdominalis and drought on the walking movement of aphids

The effect of simulated plant stress and parasitism by Aphelinus abdominalis (Dalman) on the mobility of four species of aphids was investigated. The aphids were placed on water stressed potted plants or on excised leaf segments on dry or moist filter-paper in Petri dishes. Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) was infested with Metopolophium dirhodum (Walker), Sitobion avenae (F.) and Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) (segments only), aubergine (Solanum melongena) leaf segments with Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas). The aphids that moved off the plants were removed and their development stage determined at 24-h (drought-stressed plants) or 3-h (leaf segments) intervals. On intact plants, aphid larvae were reluctant to move, and only moved after moulting into adults. On cut leaves, young 1st and 2nd instar larvae were more reluctant to move than 3rd and 4th instar larvae and adults. The numbers moving were initially positively correlated with aphid population density, and in M. euphorbiae occurred mainly during the night. Depending on aphid species and parasitoid age, parasitism by A. abdominalis retarded or accelerated movement, but the differences between young and old larvae and adults persisted after parasitism. A. abdominalis lays male eggs in small hosts and female eggs in large hosts. Consequently, its sex ratio was affected by differential movement of the host aphids of the male and female parasitoids. Old larvae and adult aphids readily moved and carried off female parasitoids, while the small aphids were more likely to remain and give rise to male-biased sex ratios.