RESPONSES OF A GENERALIST AND A SPECIALIST PARASITOID (HYMENOPTERA, EUCOILIDAE) TO DROSOPHILID LARVAL KAIROMONES

Foraging parasitoids are thought to need more specific information tha n generalists on the presence, identity, availability, and suitability of their insect host species. In the present paper, we compare respon ses to host kairomones by two phylogenetically related parasitoid spec ies that attack Drosophilidae and that differ in the width of their ho st range. As predicted, the behavioral response of the parasitoids to host kairomones reflected their difference in host range. The response of the specialist parasitoid Leptopilina boulardi was restricted to c ontact kairomones from its natural hosts and one closely related speci es. In contrast, the generalist parasitoid Leptopilina heterotoma resp onded to contact kairomones of a variety of Drosophilidae species.