Priming Aphytis: behavioral modification of host selection by exposure to a synthetic contact kairomone

The introduced parasitoid, Aphytis melinus DeBach (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), utilizes a kairomone, O-caffeoyltyrosine, to recognize California red scale, Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell) (Homoptera: Diaspididae). Wasps used in augmentative release programs for California red scale on California citrus are reared on oleander scale, Aspidiotus nerii Bouché (Homoptera: Diaspididae), themselves reared on squash. The goals of this study were: 1) to determine if long-term rearing on oleander scale had caused A. melinus to develop a preference for oleander scale, and 2) to determine if the preference of oleander-reared A. melinus for California red scale might be enhanced by exposing them to synthetic O-caffeoyltyrosine prior to release. Wasps that were removed from their hosts as pupae and allowed to emerge as adults isolated from their hosts retained a strong preference for California red scale regardless of rearing host. This preference was reduced if wasps were allowed to emerge from oleander scale, thus acquiring early adult experience with oleander scale. The preference for California red scale was restored, however, by exposing wasps reared on oleander scale to synthetic O-caffeoyltyrosine prior to bioassay. Exposure of A. melinus reared in commercial insectaries to O-caffeoyltyrosine prior to release may be a means to improve the effectiveness of such wasps in augmentative release programs to control California red scale.