Foraging strategies of parasitoids in complex chemical environments

Abstract

This chapter investigates the chemical complexity encountered by parasitoids while searching for suitable hosts, and their foraging strategies to cope with this complexity. First, it reviews parasitoid responses to vegetation and vegetation odour diversity at a large scale. At a small scale, it then focuses on the chemical complexity of the host plants' variability and its influence on parasitoid foraging. At the level of parasitoid host recognition and acceptance, the variability of chemicals and complex interactions between host plants and host cues are explored. Finally, the chapter reviews how parasitoids use their behavioural, sensory and neurophysiological adaptations to successfully locate their hosts in heterogeneous environments, and how their foraging strategies are shaped by different life history traits.