W. J. Lewis , H. R. Gross, Jr., and D. A. Nordlund. 1985. BEHAVIORAL MANIPULATION OF TRICHOGRAMMA (HYMENOPTERA: TRICHOGRAMMATIDAE). SOUTHW. ENTOMOL. 8: 49-55.

ABSTRACT

The enhancement of host-seeking behaviors by entomophagous species provides at least a partial key to their successful employment against primary lepidopterous crop pests. During 1981 and 1982, a behaviormanipulation formulation that consisted of eggs, excretions, and scales of Heliothis zea (Boddie) moths and an extract of foliage of Amaranthus spp. plants were evaluated agai~st aerially released Trichogramma pretiosum Riley in field plots of cotton near Portland, AR, as part of an ARS, USDA
pilot test of Tricho~ramma production and release technology. The formulation increased parasitization of Heliothis spp. eggs by T. pretiosum significantly during peak density periods of H. zea moths. However, during periods of low moth activity, parasitization remained less than 10~ in both fields that received the formulation and those that did not, despite biweekly releases of lOO-125 thousand Trichogramma ~retiosum/ha. These results indicate that a vital odor-mediated behavioral interaction exists between T. pretiosum and H. zea. The suspected mediator is the sex pheromone and/or other volatiles produced by H. zea moths.