Eb. Mondor et J. Roland, HOST LOCATING BEHAVIOR OF LESCHENAULTIA EXUL AND PATELLOA-PACHYPYGA -2 TACHINID PARASITOIDS OF THE FOREST TENT CATERPILLAR, MALACOSOMA-DISSTRIA, Entomologia experimentalis et applicata, 85(2), 1997, pp. 161-168
Leschenaultia exul (Townsend) and Patelloa pachypyga (Aldrich & Webber
) (Diptera: Tachinidae) are the principal larval parasitoids of the fo
rest tent caterpillar (FTC) Malacosoma disstria (Hubner) (Lepidoptera:
Lasiocampidae) in Canada. The response of these two fly species to M.
disstria differs depending on the tree species on which the host feed
s. In wind tunnel experiments, L. exul spent more time on the side of
the tunnel containing volatiles from FTC frass and was attracted to th
e FTC-aspen poplar (Populus tremuloides Michx.) complex preferentially
to the FTC-balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera L.) complex. Field bioa
ssays confirmed that this fly species was preferentially attracted to
the herbivore-aspen poplar complex as compared to the herbivore-balsam
poplar complex. In field bioassays, P. pachypyga was also attracted p
referentially to aspen poplar toes containing FTC larvae? compared to
balsam poplar trees with host larvae.