Barometric pressure decreases induces transient changes in foraging behaviour in an ectoparasitoid fly.

CRESPO, J.E.; HOUCHAT, J-N; CASTELO, M.K.

Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires

Conferencia; 7th International Entomophagous Insects Conference (7IEIC); 2023

FCEN-UBA, FAUBA, INTA, CEPAVE

Barometric pressure changes are a relevant environmental factor since it canbe an indicator of a life risk for insects. Given that most studies about theinfluence of barometric pressure on insect behaviour have been conductedmainly in adult insects and very few in larvae, we studied, througholfactometry experiments, the influence of changes in barometric pressurehost orientation in an ectoparasitoid asilid fly of soil-dwelling white grubswith an active host-seeking larval stage. We experimentally manipulatedbarometric pressure using an ARDUINO controlled chamber. Our resultsshow that larvae are affected by a strong and abrupt a progressive decreaseof pressure. Additionally, we found that sudden changes or unstableconditions increase non directed moves. This observation could be explainedby an ability of selective larvae to perceive changes in barometric pressureand adopt avoidance strategies that maintain their probabilities of survival.These results confirm that barometric pressure impacts on host-seekingbehaviour in parasitoid larvae. In conclusion, this study paves the way to abetter understanding of the changes in insect crucial behaviours induced byweather and provides more knowledge about the risk factors likely to affectinsect survival in a context of foraging ecology in parasitoids.