Beneficial arthropod behavior mediated by airborne semiochemicals : I. Flight behavior and influence of preflight handling ofMicroplitis croceipes (Cresson).

Oriented responses ofMicroplitis croceipes (Cresson) to airborne odors of actively feedingHeliothis zea (Boddie) larvae were observed in a flight tunnel. The behavior ofM. croceipes prior to and during sustained, oriented flights was videotaped and analyzed in detail. Preflight exposure of the parasitoid to feces and other components of the plant-host complex were found to be vital in effective flight behavior, while maturation of the parasitoid had little effect. The increased frequency of oriented flight that resulted from preflight exposure of a plant-host complex persisted for at least 24 hr.