CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

We studied through a set of olfactometer assays, the behavioral response of females of the parasitoid Ibalia leucospoides to food or host cues and the influence recent feeding has on these decisions. The choice should reflect decision making of female parasitoids in the field and may contribute to rearing and release protocols. Our main findings suggest that the responses of this parasitoid are state-dependent. Food deprived females responded mainly to host stimuli. In contrast, fed individuals did not show any clear preference; satiated females displayed preference towards host cues when choosing between host- and food cues only. These findings add to the growing evidence on the importance of life history traits on food acquisition in this parasitoid. From an applied perspective, our study suggests that the performance of this parasitoid in the field as a bio-control agent of damaging Sirex noctilio populations is unlikely to be improved by the addition of artificial nectar sources or even feeding prior to their release.