Responses of two parasitoids, the exotic Spathius agrili Yang and the native Spathius floridanus Ashmead, to volatile cues associated with the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire

Abstract Two parasitoids, the introduced specialist Spathius agrili Yang (Braconidae), and the native generalist Spathius floridanus Ashmead, have been proposed as biological control agents of the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Buprestidae). However, little is known about their host-location behaviors. We evaluated responses to their host complex, Fraxinus pennsylvanica stem tissue, F. pennsylvanica foliage, and an A. planipennis larva within a stem. Experiments were conducted in a Y-tube olfactometer, using wasps reared on A. planipennis larvae in F. pennsylvanica stems. Naive S. agrili were attracted to the entire complex, and to leaf tissue, relative to blanks. S. agrili were also more attracted to stems containing larvae and leaf tissue together than leaf tissue alone. Naive S. floridanus were attracted to larvae within stems, but nothing else. A further distinction is that S. agrilli moved more, in the presence of foliage. Thus, S. agrili and S. floridanus appear to employ different host-location strategies. The former is attracted to host plant cues, which then elicit increased searching, whereas the latter is only attracted to infested tissue directly. We found no evidence that oviposition influences attraction by S. agrili , suggesting other forms of experience should be evaluated for potential sources of learned cues. Further, S. agrili that declined opportunities to oviposit oriented away from host-associated cues, suggesting distinct behavioral sequences occur by females that are not reproductively ready. Further understanding of host-location behavior may improve biological control by these parasitoids, by suggesting strategies for pre-release conditioning and providing tools for assessing post-release establishment.