EFFECT OF AVERSIVE ODOURS ON THE FORAGING BEHAVIOR OF VESPULA GERMANICA

BUTELER, MICAELA; YOSSEN, MARÍA B.; LOZADA, MARIANA

Guarujá

Congreso; International Union for the Study of Social Insects XVIIIth Intern. Congress; 2018

INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE STUDY OF SOCIAL INSECTS

Effect of aversive odours on the foraging behavior of Vespula germanica. In the present study, we explored how an aversive odor (stimulus) interferes with the foraging behavior of Vespula germanica and how this response can be modulated by experience. First, we identified several essential oils with repellent activity against V. germanica. Then, we examined the response of wasps to these aversive stimuli when present in a food source. For this purpose we used preference bioassays, analyzing landing on the source, utilization, handling time, and relocation. We found that wasps preferred to land on untreated food sources. In no choice tests, few wasps landed on treated sources, and those that did, took longer and exhibited repulsive behavior before landing. However, if treatment with the stimulus occurred after wasps had experience with the food source, they behaved similarly in treated as in untreated food sources. Thus, experience can modulate the response towards the aversive stimulus, which may lose its repellency. Results suggest that past experience and contextual cues have a greater role in decision making than odour cues. These results have implications on the management of Vespula wasps with repellents given that association and learning can alter efficacy of these substances.