Eur. J. Entomol. 102 (3): 431-436, 2005 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2005.061

Role of (E)-β-farnesene in systematic aphid prey location by Episyrphus balteatus larvae (Diptera: Syrphidae)

Frédéric FRANCIS1, Thibaut MARTIN2, Georges LOGNAY2, Eric HAUBRUGE1
1 Unit of Functional and Evolutionary Entomology,
2 Unit of Analytical Chemistry, Gembloux Agricultural University, Passage des Déportés 2, B-5030 Gembloux, Belgium; e-mail: francis.f@fsagx.ac.be

The foraging behaviour of beneficials such as aphidophagous predators depend largely on volatile compounds emitted by potential preys. Even if polyphagous predatory species are considered, all the potential preys are not systematically localised and accepted. In this work, chemical cues from different aphids and plants, each alone or in association, were studied to elucidate their role in prey location. Using a four-arm olfactometer, attraction of combinations of three aphid (Megoura viciae, Acyrthosiphon pisum and Aphis fabae) and one plant (Vicia faba) species for Episyrphus balteatus larvae was observed. Predatory hoverfly larvae were attracted by all tested stimuli in the presence of aphids, whatever the species. Whole or crushed aphids and also aphids on bean plant parts were attractive to syrphid larvae, but the host plant alone did not present any infochemical role for E. balteatus. Identification and quantification of the volatile releases from aphid and plant species, alone or in association, were performed using SPME and GC-MS methods. Aphid alarm pheromone, (E)-β-farnesene, was found in the volatile pattern of each aphid and was tested for its role as an effective kairomone for the hoverfly.

Keywords: Syrphidae, infochemical, (E)-b-farnesene, Episyrphus balteatus, larvae, prey localisation, olfactometer

Received: September 29, 2004; Revised: April 22, 2005; Accepted: April 22, 2005; Published: August 15, 2005  Show citation

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FRANCIS, F., MARTIN, T., LOGNAY, G., & HAUBRUGE, E. (2005). Role of (E)-β-farnesene in systematic aphid prey location by Episyrphus balteatus larvae (Diptera: Syrphidae). EJE, 102(3), 431-436. doi: 10.14411/eje.2005.061
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