Hare, J.D. 1996 Priming Aphytis: behavioral modification of host selection by exposure to a synthetic contact kairomone.. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 78: 263-269.

Notes: The introduced parasitoid Aphytis melinus utilizes a kairomone, O-caffeoyltyrosine, to recognize Aonidiella aurantii; wasps used in augmentative release programmes for A. aurantii on California citrus are reared on Aspidiotus nerii, themselves reared on squash; parasitoids that were removed from their hosts as pupae and allowed to emerge as adults isolated from their hosts retained a strong preference for A. aurantii regardless of rearing host; this preference was reduced if parasitoids were allowed to emerge from A. nerii thus acquiring early adult experience with this host; preference for A. aurantii was restored, however, by exposing parasitoids reared on A. nerii to synthetic O-caffeoyltyrosine prior to bioassay; exposure of Aphytis melinus reared in commercial insectaries to O-caffeoyltyrosine prior to release may be a means to improve the effectiveness of such parasitoids in augmentative release programmes to control Aonidiella aurantii.