Mattesia geminata sp. n. (Neogregarinida: Ophrocystidae) a Parasite of the Tropical Fire Ant,Solenopsis geminata (Fabricius)*

SYNOPSIS. A new species of neogregarine, Mattesia geminata sp. n., that infects immature stages of the tropical fire ant, Solenopsis geminata (Fabricius), is described. The parasite, which develops in the hypodermis, causes disruption of the developing eyes, melanization of the cuticle, and death of pupae. lntracolonial infection rates are usually less than 2±, but may exceed 90±. Attempts to transmit the infection were unsuccessful.     

New Family,Genus, and Species of Microsporida (Protozoa: Microsporida) from the Tropical Fire Ant,Solenopsis geminata (Fabricius) (Insecta: Formicidae)*

SYNOPSIS. A new species of Microsporida, Burenella dimorpha sp. n., representing a new family, Burenellidae fam. n. and genus, is described on the basis of light- and electron-microscope observations. The family is characterized by 2 sequences of sporogony, each sequence having morphologically different sporonts and spores. The parasite infects the tropical fire ant, Solenopsis geminata (Fabricius), producing distinct pathologic manifestations (clearing of the cuticle and eye malformation) and death in the pupal stage of development. Transmission of the infection per os to healthy S. geminata, to the Southern fire ant, Solenopsis xyloni McCook, and to the red and black imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta Buren and Solenopsis richteri Forel, is reported.     

Fire ant myrmecophiles: feeding relationships ofMartinezia dutertrei andEuparia castanea (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) with their host ants,Solenopsis spp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Summary Feeding relationships of adultEuparia castanea Serville andMartinezia dutertrei Chalumeau with their ant hosts were studied in the laboratory using the radioactive tracer³²P.Euparia castanea was tested withSolenopsis geminata (F.),Martinezia dutertrei Chalumeau was tested withS. invicta Buren,S. richteri Forel, andS. geminata. Unlabeled beetles were exposed to various radioisotope labeled conditions for 24 hr and then checked for acquired radioactivity. In whole colony tests, both species of beetles acquired radioactivity.M. dutertrei obtained food from live ants, butE. castanea did not. Both species of beetles ate ant larvae.E. castanea also obtained food from ant larvae by strigilation. Neither species of beetle fed on ant feces or other secretions on the substrate. Both species of beetles obtained food by strigilation from fresh and decomposed worker ant cadavers.M. dutertrei also ate both kinds of ant cadavers. Both species of beetles also ate dead house flies, indicative of scavenging or feeding on ant booty.Martinezia dutertrei showed no preference for any particular ant species. Ants did not obtain food by trophallaxis or glandular secretion from either species of beetle. Martinezia dutertrei Chalumeau, 1983 (=Myrmecaphodius excavaticollis Auct.,nec Blanchard 1843).This article reports the results of research only. Mention of a proprietary product does not constitute an endorsement or a recommendation for its use by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.     

Detection of Thelohania solenopsae (Microsporidia: Thelohaniidae) in Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) by multiplex PCR

Oligonucleotide primer pairs were designed to unique areas of the small subunit (16S) rRNA gene of Thelohania solenopsae and a region of the Gp-9 gene of Solenopsis invicta. Multiplex PCR resulted in sensitive and specific detection of T. solenopsae infection of S. invicta. The T. solenopsae-specific primer pair only amplified DNA from T. solenopsae and T. solenopsae-infected S. invicta. This primer pair did not produce any amplification products from DNA preparations from uninfected S. invicta, seven additional species of microsporidia (including Vairimorpha invictae), or Mattesia spp. The Gp-9-specific primers recognized and amplified DNA from Solenopsis xyloni, Solenopsis richteri, Solenopsis geminata, the invicta/richteri hybrid, and monogyne and polygyne S. invicta, but not from T. solenopsae, and, as such, served as a positive control verifying successful DNA preparation. Multiplex PCR detected T. solenopsae in worker fire ants infected with as few as 5000 spores. Furthermore, multiplex PCR detected T. solenopsae in all developmental stages of S. invicta. However, detection could be made more sensitive by using only the T. solenopsae-specific primer pair; ants infected with as few as 10 spores were able to be discerned. Multiplex PCR detection of T. solenopsae offers the advantages of a positive control, a single PCR amplification, detection of all developmental stages, and increased sensitivity and specificity compared with microscopy.     

Control of mango seed weevils (Sternochetus mangiferae) using the African Weaver Ant (Oecophylla longinoda Latreille) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The mango seed weevil, Sternochetus mangiferae (Fabricius), is among the major threats to mango production in Tanzania. Sternochetus mangiferae is primarily a quarantine pest whose presence inside the fruits restricts access to new foreign markets and leads to rejections of fruits destined for export. Management options for the pest have largely been dependent on field sanitation and application of synthetic insecticides with some success. Thus, more sustainable methods are needed to substitute insecticides, as this may also open up opportunities for organic markets. We conducted field experiments for two fruiting seasons in a mango plantation at Mlandizi, Kibaha district, along the coastal belt of Tanzania to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of the predaceous ant Oecophylla longinoda Latreille with foliar insecticidal sprays of Dudumida (70 WDG Imidacloprid) in controlling S. mangiferae. Mango seed weevil infestation was assessed fortnightly based on infestation marks on developing fruits starting eight weeks after fruit set to early ripening phase. Between 50 and 64 fruits were sampled, well labelled in jute bags, secured and transported to the laboratory at Kibaha Biological Control Unit (KBCU) for incubation at room temperature using rearing transparent containers. Two weeks later, the fruits were dissected and inspected for the presence of S. mangiferae developmental stages. Field and laboratory results indicated that fruits from trees that were occupied by O. longinoda and from those treated with insecticide showed significantly (P < 0.0001) lower incidences and infestation rates by S. mangiferae than from untreated trees. Furthermore, there were no significant differences between the insecticide and the weaver ant treatments. We conclude that in our experiments, O. longinoda is an efficient biological control agent for a long‐term control programme and is comparable to insecticide (Dudumida) in suppressing S. mangiferae and may be used in Tanzanian mango plantations.     

红火蚁告警信息素的GC-EAD分析

[背景]2-乙基-3,6-二甲基吡嗪是红火蚁告警信息素的主要成分,本研究旨在分离、鉴定红火蚁工蚁浸提液中告警信息素成分,分析红火蚁工蚁对告警信息素合成样品混合物的电生理反应。[方法]200 g红火蚁工蚁的正己烷浸提液过硅胶柱,正己烷—丙酮体系洗脱,气相色谱（GC）和气相色谱—质谱联用（GC-MS）分析检测浸提液中含告警信息素的流分,气相色谱—触角电位联用仪（GC-EAD）分析红火蚁工蚁对2-乙基-3,5（6）-二甲基吡嗪混合物的电生理活性。[结果]红火蚁工蚁正己烷浸提液硅胶柱层析分离能够得到含2-乙基-3,6-二甲基吡嗪的流分,GC-MS分析的保留时间在11.45 min。经过GC-EAD分析,发现红火蚁工蚁对2-乙基-3,5（6）-二甲基吡嗪混合物有显著的电生理反应。[结论与意义]红火蚁工蚁对2-乙基-3,6-二甲基吡嗪的电生理反应比2-乙基-3,5-二甲基吡嗪高。     

两种红火蚁监测方法应用效果的比较

红火蚁Solenopsis invicta是全国农业、林业和进境植物检疫性有害生物,是世界自然保护联盟收录的最具有破坏力的入侵生物之一。高效精准监测红火蚁在其防控中尤为重要,而诱饵诱集是监测红火蚁的有力措施,相对诱饵的筛选和改进,诱集器方面研究则较为滞后。本文对“透明塑料瓶+火腿肠”(PS)和“新型诱集器+火腿肠”(TS)这两类诱集器的红火蚁诱集效果进行比较分析。结果表明,下午1∶30至3∶30时段,PS处理透明塑料瓶在放置5 min之后存在明显的升温效应,伴随着诱集到的红火蚁数量明显减少,诱集到红火蚁的诱饵比例也下降明显,较TS处理下降了43.6%。而且,TS的投放时间和回收耗时均明显比PS的短;在复杂的荒地生境中,投放的诱集器数量越多,PS的诱集器回收率则越低;当投放的诱集器达到90个时,PS处理回收率为92.34%,而TS处理为98.67%。综合上述分析,诱集方法TS由于诱饵开放、诱集和标示一体、稳定性好等特点在应用效果上较PS有优势,适用面更广,今后还需对其进一步完善和改进并应用于红火蚁的调查监测。     

Predicting socio‐economic and biodiversity impacts of invasive species: Red Imported Fire Ant in the developing western Pacific

Effective biosecurity and pest management are fundamental to sustainable development. Invasive ants pose significant risks to the environment and economy, which are well‐managed by biosecurity agencies in developed countries. However, a comprehensive view of the potential impacts of invasive ants in developing Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) is lacking. We quantified the potential costs of the Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta Buren) across multiple sectors using an extrapolation analysis. Overall, we estimated that the impacts of Red Imported Fire Ant on developing PICTs could amount to over USD 329 million annually, corresponding to approximately 0.7% of combined GDP. Over half of the costs were predicted to result from impacts on the agriculture sector, a major source of employment and subsistence. We found that over 350 highly threatened species could be at risk from Red Imported Fire Ant. We would expect countries with Least Developed Country status and relatively low GDP to be least able to respond to an incursion of these ants, and as a result the costs could be higher than we have extrapolated. Red Imported Fire Ant could therefore potentially have considerable impact on the on‐going development of the region.     

红火蚁及其他两种蚂蚁毒腺细菌鉴定与多样性分析(英文)

【目的】本研究旨在分析红火蚁Solenopsis invicta毒腺细菌群落多样性,并与热带火蚁Solenopsis geminata和聚纹双刺猛蚁Diacamma rugosum比较毒腺细菌群落差异。【方法】采用Illumine Hiseq 2500测序平台对红火蚁(工蚁、有翅蚁和蚁后)、热带火蚁(工蚁)及聚纹双刺猛蚁(工蚁)毒腺细菌群落16S rRNA基因V3-V4区测序,基于测序数据进行生物信息学分析。【结果】变形菌门(Proteobacteria)在红火蚁工蚁、有翅蚁和蚁后以及热带火蚁工蚁毒腺中占优势,而厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)在聚纹双刺猛蚁工蚁毒腺中占优势。与红火蚁工蚁和有翅蚁相比,柔壁菌门(Tenericutes)在红火蚁蚁后毒腺中更丰富。广州红火蚁蚁后毒腺中假单胞杆菌Pseudomonas相对丰度显著高于其在有翅蚁及工蚁中的。螺原体Spiroplasma相对丰度在热带火蚁毒腺中显著高于在聚纹双刺猛蚁工蚁毒腺中的。毒腺中细菌多样性分析发现,芽孢杆菌属Bacillus和乳酸杆菌属Lactobacillus在广西红火蚁工蚁中的相对丰度显著高于在广州红火蚁工蚁中的。然而,乳酸杆菌属细菌在聚纹双刺猛蚁工蚁毒腺中的相对丰度显著高于广西的热带火蚁工蚁毒腺中的。【结论】毒腺细菌组成和多样性在3种不同种类蚂蚁工蚁和红火蚁不同品级中存在差异。     

Use of ribosomal DNA sequence data to characterize and detect a neogregarine pathogen of Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

A neogregarine parasite of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, was discovered recently in Florida and tentatively placed in the Mattesia genus based on morphological characterization. S. invicta infected with this Mattesia species exhibited a characteristic yellowing of the cuticle which was designated Mattesia "yellow-head disease" (YHD). The 18S rRNA gene sequence from Mattesia YHD was elucidated and compared with the neogregarine pathogens, Mattesia geminata and Ophriocystis elektroscirrha. The sequence data support the previous conclusion that Mattesia YHD is a new species that infects S. invicta. Furthermore, high sequence identity between Mattesia YHD, M. geminata (95.7%), and O. elektroscirrha (86.2%) correctly place the YHD organism in the Mattesia genus and Neogregarinorida order. Oligonucleotide primer pairs were designed to unique areas of the 18S rRNA genes of Mattesia YHD and S. invicta. Multiplex PCR resulted in sensitive and specific detection of Mattesia YHD infection of S. invicta.     

室内饲养的红火蚁工蚁毒腺生物碱含量动态分析

【目的】分析红火蚁 Solenopsis invicta 工蚁在室内长时间饲养时,体内生物碱主要成分的含量变化。【方法】每10 d取0.5 g红火蚁工蚁用正己烷溶剂浸提48 h,浸提液通过硅胶柱分离,经气相色谱（GC）和气相色谱 质谱联用仪（GC-MS）鉴定其生物碱的主要成分,并用外标法测其生物碱各个主要成分的含量。【结果】红火蚁工蚁体内生物碱主要成分为9种顺式生物碱和5种反式生物碱,并测出90 d内这14种化合物在红火蚁工蚁体内的含量变化。其中,反式生物碱2-甲基-6-（4′-十三烯）哌啶的含量最高,第1天为3 391.57 μg/g,90 d后为556.70 μg/g;顺式生物碱2-甲基-6-十五烷基哌啶的含量最低,第1天为10.27 μg/g,90 d后为2.93 μg/g。【结论】红火蚁工蚁在室内长时间饲养时,体内生物碱的含量开始时持续下降,当生物碱含量下降到一个极低的水平后,基本不再变化,处于平衡状态。结合室内饲养时红火蚁工蚁死亡情况,可推测出当红火蚁蚁巢中生物碱含量很低时,蚁巢中体型较大的工蚁数量会比较少。     

热处理对红火蚁工蚁的致死效果评估

热处理作为一种无污染、无残留、环境友好型防治措施,在红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren（Hymenoptera：Formicidae）防控中具有广阔的应用前景。然而,目前有关热处理对红火蚁防治效果的研究相对较少,致死温度和致死时间的最佳组合仍值得进一步探究。为此,本研究在实验室条件下,采用干热（45.5、46、46.5、47、47.5、48、49、50和51℃）和热水（41、41.5、42.5、43、45、46、47和48℃）处理红火蚁工蚁0.5~5 min,记录工蚁的击倒率、及处理后12 h的存活情况。结果显示,热处理温度越高、时间越长,红火蚁工蚁的击倒率和死亡率越高。干热处理过程中,48℃高温处理4 min、49℃高温处理3 min、50或51℃高温处理2 min均可杀死100%的工蚁。采用热水处理时,45或46℃热水处理5 min、48℃热水处理2 min便可杀死全部的工蚁。因此,作为一种安全、高效的物理防治措施,热处理可用于红火蚁的有效防控。     

Fecundity and longevity of Argentine ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) queens in response to irradiation

Irradiation is a post‐harvest quarantine treatment option to control ants and other hitchhiker pests on fresh horticultural products traded between countries. As little is known about irradiation effects on ants, radiotolerance of the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Dolichoderinae), was studied to determine a dose sufficient for its control. Queens collected from Buenos Aires, Argentina, were irradiated with 30, 60, 90 Gy or left untreated as controls, and then followed for 8 weeks to evaluate their survival and fecundity. Overall queen survival and brood viability decreased with increasing irradiation dose. The number of eggs was reduced by 50%, 69% and 56% in the 30, 60 and 90 Gy doses, respectively, compared with untreated control queens. The percentage of eggs that developed into larvae decreased from 41.1% in the control to 22.5%, 1.4%, and 0% in the 30, 60, and 90 Gy treatments, respectively. Thus, the number of larvae was reduced by 69% in the 30 Gy treatment compared with the control, only one larva was observed in the 60 Gy treatment, and none in the 90 Gy treatment. Only one pupa was observed in the 30 Gy treatment and none in the 60 and 90 Gy treatments during the 8‐week experiment. Queens irradiated with 60 and 90 Gy had significantly reduced longevity compared with queens treated with lower doses or untreated queens. Radiation dose ≥90 Gy stopped brood development in Argentine ant queens and should be sufficient as a phytosanitary treatment. The radiotolerance of Argentine ant appears to be similar to that of two other important invasive ants.     

Variation in Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Activity of the Essential Oil of Wild Populations of Phlomis olivieri

Various species of the genus Phlomis have been reported to produce metabolites demonstrating significant pharmacological efficiency. In this study, the essential oils from twelve populations of Phlomis olivieri collected from natural habitats were investigated for their chemical components. The hydrodistillated essential oil analyzed by GC‐FID and GC/MS. Analyses revealed 27 compounds, constituting 90.52 – 98.51% of the essential oils. Results indicated that the major components of the essential oils from various populations of P. olivieri were germacrene D (26.54 – 56.41%), bicyclogermacrene (6.38 – 30.55%), β‐caryophyllene (5.32 – 24.52%) and α‐pinene (1.29 – 15.53%). Principal component analyses (PCA) was used to identify any geographical variations in essential oil composition. Notably, three groups of Iranian P. olivieri populations were determined according to the major compounds. Results of the in vitro antibacterial activity indicated that P. olivieri essential oils showed good inhibitory activities against bacteria, especially Bacillus subtilis. The results of this study gave new insights for cultivation and industrial uses of P. olivieri in Iran.     

红火蚁巢穴土壤中生物碱成分分析

【目的】红火蚁Solenopsis invicta栖息在真菌和细菌较丰富的土壤环境中,容易受多种真菌和细菌性病原体的侵染,因红火蚁的毒液具有很好的防御和抗菌作用,致使红火蚁能生存于此类土壤环境中。为了探索这一奥秘,本研究旨在建立红火蚁巢穴土壤中的毒液生物碱的最佳提取方法,并对毒液生物碱成分进行定量分析。【方法】采集蚁巢周边3 m处的土壤,进行添加、回收红火蚁毒液实验。采用抽滤法提取土壤中的毒液生物碱,利用GC-FID对毒液生物碱成分进行定量分析,筛选最佳的提取溶剂,并且确定添加三乙胺的最佳体积比。然后用最优方法提取蚁巢土壤中的毒液生物碱,并进行定量分析。【结果】正己烷、二氯甲烷、乙酸乙酯、丙酮和甲醇5种提取溶剂中,正己烷处理的生物碱回收率略优。当添加的三乙胺的体积为1 mL及以上时,提取效果最佳。红火蚁巢穴土壤中的毒液生物碱成分中,trans-C15∶1的含量最高,trans-C13∶1的含量次之。巢穴土壤中总生物碱含量约为22μg/g。【结论】三乙胺有助于提取蚂蚁巢穴土壤中的毒液生物碱。红火蚁巢穴土壤中的生物碱浓度较高,有可能对巢穴土壤微生物群落产生重要影响。     

红火蚁自然种群耐寒性的研究

为综合评价红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren的抗寒能力, 依据2005-2006年在深圳野外获得的红火蚁自然种群测定了其不同品级及虫态的过冷却点和低温处理后的存活率。研究结果表明：红火蚁各品级及其3个虫态的过冷却点之间存在显著差异。工蚁与雌、雄有翅蚁之间的过冷却点不存在差异, 而雌、雄有翅蚁之间的过冷却点存在差异;不同虫态过冷却点大小依次为蛹﹤成虫﹤幼虫。红火蚁自然种群在越冬前后存在过冷却点波动的现象, 表现为从10月份开始红火蚁野外种群的过冷却点开始逐渐下降, 在2月份达到最低, 为-12.68℃, 3月份回升到-9.51℃。红火蚁低温下的存活率S^T与低温暴露温度T和暴露时间t之间的关系均符合逻辑斯谛曲线方程。当处理时间为0.5 h, 红火蚁在-14℃时存活率为15.3%;当处理时间为1, 2和4 h, 工蚁在处理温度分别为-13, -9和-9℃才可全部致死。当处理温度为-10℃, 需要经过240 min工蚁才全部死亡, 在-11℃, 则需要120 min。相同低温的不同变幅和持续作用对工蚁的存活有较大的影响。总体来说, 经过相同的处理时间, 低温变幅越大存活率越低, 而且存活率降至0所需要的时间也不同, 4±9℃处理时在经过9 d即降为0, 而4±0℃处理则要长于15 d。与对照相比, 4±6℃和4±9℃处理4 d能显著提高工蚁在低温下的存活率。结果提示,不同变幅的持续低温作用对红火蚁的抗寒能力有着驯化作用, 红火蚁对极端气候有较强的适应能力。     

Vairimorpha invictae N. Sp. (Microspora: Microsporida), a Parasite of the Red Imported Fire Ant,Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)12

ABSTRACT. Vairimorpha invictae n. sp. infects the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, in Brazil. The parasite is dimorphic, producing two morphologically distinct types of spores, which develop sequentially in the same fat cells or oenocytes in the fat body. The binucleate free spores develop from disporous sporonts; the uninucleate octospores develop from multinucleate sporonts within a sporophorous vesicle. Infected cells are transformed into large sacs which contain both types of spores in mature adult hosts. Mature free spores are often present by the time the larvae pupate, but mature octospores are found only in adult hosts. Masses of spores may be seen through the intact cuticle by low power phase-contrast microscopy; there are no other physical signs and no behavioral signs of infection. Attempts to transmit the infection in the laboratory failed.     

红火蚁工蚁对跟踪信息素的触角电位和行为反应

【目的】测定红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren工蚁对其跟踪信息素的触角电位（EAG）及行为反应。【方法】解剖红火蚁工蚁的杜氏腺, 用正己烷溶剂提取其分泌的跟踪信息素进行气相色谱-质谱（GC-MS）分析, 并测定了红火蚁工蚁对杜氏腺提取物、 工蚁提取物和合成的法尼烯混合物的EAG和招募行为反应。【结果】通过与合成的法尼烯混合物的气相色谱（GC）保留时间和质谱图比对, 发现杜氏腺提取物的主要成分并不是Z, E-α-法尼烯。EAG测定结果表明, 红火蚁工蚁对杜氏腺提取物、 工蚁提取物及100 μg的法尼烯混合物均有较强的EAG反应, 其次为10 μg和1 μg的法尼烯混合物。在招募行为测定中, 杜氏腺提取物和工蚁提取物招募作用明显, 而10, 1, 0.1和0.01 μg法尼烯混合物的作用均不显著。【结论】Z, E-α-法尼烯不是红火蚁跟踪信息素的主要成分; 红火蚁工蚁对杜氏腺提取物、 工蚁提取物有较强的EAG反应和明显的招募行为反应。     

NMR,HS‐SPME‐GC/MS,and HPLC/MSn Analyses of Phytoconstituents and Aroma Profile of Rosmarinus eriocalyx

In this work, a comprehensive study on the chemical constituents of the aerial parts of Rosmarinus eriocalyx (Lamiaceae), an aromatic shrub traditionally consumed as a food and herbal remedy in Algeria, is presented. The aroma profile was analysed by headspace solid phase microextraction (HS‐SPME) coupled with gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC/MS), whereas the crude extract constituents were analyzed by ¹H‐NMR and by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC/MSⁿ). Thirty‐nine volatile compounds, most of them being monoterpenes, have been identified, with camphor, camphene, and α‐pinene as the most abundant constituents. ¹H‐NMR analysis revealed the presence of phenolic compounds and betulinic acid while HPLC/MSⁿ allowed the identification of glycosilated and aglyconic flavonoids as well as phenylpropanoid derivatives. Some of these constituents, namely as betulinic acid, rosmanol, and cirsimaritin were reported for the first time in R. eriocalyx.     

Response of two parasitoid species (Hymenoptera: Braconidae,Figitidae) to tephritid host and host food substrate cues

The Neotropical‐native figitid Aganaspis pelleranoi (Brèthes) and the Asian braconid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) are two parasitoids of Tephritidae fruit flies with long and recent, respectively, evolutionary histories in the Neotropics. Both species experienced a recent range of overlap. In Argentina, A. pelleranoi is a potential species in biological control programs against the pestiferous tephritid species, Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), whereas D. longicaudata is already used in open‐field releases against Medfly in central‐western Argentina. To characterize the host‐foraging strategies of A. pelleranoi and D. longicaudata, olfactometer experiments were conducted comparing responses to C. capitata and A. fraterculus larvae, in two kinds of food substrate: fruit and artificial larval medium. To control the possible influence of host larvae used for parasitoid rearing on olfactory response, two strains of both parasitoid species, reared on both tephrtid species, were studied. Volatiles directly emanating either from A. fraterculus or C. capitata larvae may be detected by both A. pelleranoi and D. longicaudata, although chemical stimuli originating from the combination of host larvae and the habitat of the host were preferred. However, olfactory cues associated with host larvae probably play a relevant role in host searching behaviour of A. pelleranoi, whereas for D. longicaudata, the host‐habitat olfactory stimuli would be highly essential in short‐range host location. The strain of the parasitoids did not affect host search ability on the two tephritid species evaluated. These evidences are relevant for mass production of both parasitoids and their impact following open‐field augmentative releases.