Host Kairomones Elicit Area-Restricted Search by Prorops nasuta, A Parasitoid of the Coffee Berry Borer

Abstract

The bethylid wasp Prorops nasuta Waterston is a natural enemy of the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus ham- pei Ferrari, the most devastating insect pest of coffee worldwide. Volatiles from H. hampei immature stages and dust/frass are used by P. nasuta as long-range cues during the host location process. In addition, host dust/frass extracts influenced the area-restricted search by P. nasuta females. In this study, we evaluated the effect of organic solvent extracts from H. hampei immature stages and adults on several parameters regarding locomotory behavior of P. nasuta females. P. nasuta females spent more time, covered greater distance, reduced their speed, and turned more per unit time in patches treated with hexanic, acetonic, and methanolic extracts from H. hampei immature stages and adults with respect to the solvent controls. The concentration of the methanolic extract from H. hampei immature stages clearly influenced the locomotory activity of P. nasuta.