›› 2005, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (5): 725-730.

• RESEARCH PAPERS • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Behavior responses of Tetrastichus sp., an ectoparasitiod wasp, to its host, Paratrioza sinica Yang & Li and host plant, Lycium barbarum L.

DUAN Li-Qing, LIU Kuan-Yu, Imre S. OTVOS, FENG Shu-Jun, LI Hai-PING, SHAN Yan-Min   

  1. Inner Mongolia Agricultural University
  • Online:2005-11-16 Published:2005-10-20
  • Contact: 段立清

Abstract:

Tetrastichus sp. is an ectoparasitoid wasp of wolf berry psyllid, Paratrioza sinica Yang & Li. It plays an important role in controlling the population dynamics of wolfberry psyllid which is one of the most serious pests of wolfberry, Lycium barbarum L. In order to understand how the wasps find their victims, their responses to extracts from host and host plant were tested using four arm olfactometer and Petri dishes. The results showed that female wasps responded significantly and positively to nymph secretion and the complex of fresh leaves and nymph but not to intact host plant leaves, damaged host plant leaves and complex of leaves and eggs. Seventy three percent of the female wasps were attracted to the arm with nymph secretion (P=0.0000). Female wasps preferred nymph secretion and extracts of nymph (both water and n-butane extracts) significantly and they tapped using antennae and some probed with ovipositor the samples in Petri dishes. The complex of living nymph and wolf berry leaves attracted the wasps significantly (P=0.0004). The host searching time of a female wasp with experience of contacting with its host was significantly less than that of a female without the experience. The former was only about one fourth of the latter. This suggests that the wasp has learning ability.

 

 

Key words: Tetrastichus sp., Paratrioza sinica, behavior responses, learning behavior, olfactometer