ANALYSIS OF OVIPOSITION BEHAVIOR IN THE PARASITOID EPIDINOCARSIS-LOPEZI (HYM, ENCYRTIDAE) - COMPARISON OF FLOW-CHARTS ON FACTORIAL MAPS

Females of Epidinocarsis lopezi (De Santis) are presented with groups of unparasitized hosts or groups containing different ratios of parasi tized hosts (Phenacoccus manihoti). Oviposition behaviour sequences ob tained in various situations are filmed and split into units of behavi our or patterns. The succession of patterns is analyzed and translated into flow charts on factorial maps characteristic of each type of seq uence. Comparison of flow charts reveals host discrimination by female parasitoids since the relative importance of behaviour patterns is mo dified according to the level of parasitized hosts encountered ; it al so gives clues to the strategy adopted by the female parasitoid during the search of a patch. In addition, the analysis divides the oviposit ion sequence into three separate patterns, specific to host search, ov iposition act and post-oviposition behaviour. This series of patterns is closely related to factorial axes which indicates the fundamental t rends of oviposition behaviour.