Eur. J. Entomol. 90 (4): 439-442, 1993
6-methyl-5-heptene-2-one, a putative sex and spacing pheromone of the aphid hyperparasitoid, Alloxysta victrix (Hymenoptera: Alloxystidae)
- N/A
Hyperparasitoids are, considered to reduce the effectiveness of primary parasitoids as biological control agents of aphids in a variety of crops. Recently it was shown that volatiles produced by the hyperparasitoid Alloxysta victrix (Westwood) elicit a dispersal in female primary parasitoids thereby potentially reducing primary parasitoid activity in the field at certain times. The active chemical was identified as 6-methyl-5-heptene-2-one (MHO) which is produced by both male and female A. victrix. The function of this chemical in the intraspecific communication of A. victrix was studied. Y-tube olfactometer experiments revealed corresponding effects of MHO and natural odour sources. Males were attracted to females especially when not mated. Females were repelled by females. These effects could partly be mimicked with pure MHO in the olfactometer. In Petri dish experiments the behaviour of A. victrix in the presence of MHO odour was video-analysed. As in the olfactometer, males were attracted to the odour and females repelled. We conclude that MHO is a sex pheromone which attracts A. victrix males and as spacing pheromone enables an even distribution of females in the field.
Keywords: Sex pheromone, spacing pheromone, 6-methyl-5-heptene-2-one, aphid hyperparasitoid, Alloxysta, olfactometer, video tracking
Accepted: September 25, 1993; Published: December 30, 1993 Show citation
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