Lo Pinto, M., Lo Bue, P., Peri, E., Agrò, A., Liotta, G., & Colazza, S. 2002 Responses of Aphytis chilensis to the synthetic sex pheromone of the oleander scale.. IOBC/WPRS Bulletin 25(9): 271-275.

Notes: [IOBC/WPRS Working Group Use of Pheromones and Other Semiochemicals in Integrated Control. Pheromones and other biological techniques for insect control in orchards and vineyards. Proceedings of the working group meeting, Samos, Greece, September 25-29, 2000. Publisher: International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control of Noxious Animals and Plants (OIBC/OILB), West Palaearctic Regional Section (WPRS/SROP).] The role of the synthetic sex pheromone of the oleander scale, Aspidiotus nerii Bouché (Homoptera: Diaspididae), in the long-range host-searching behaviour of the specialist parasitoid Aphytis chilensis Howard (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) was studied. Different concentrations in hexane of the (-) and (+) enantiomers of the synthetic host sex-pheromone were compared for their attractiveness in dual choice tests in a Y-olfactometer. Wasp females were significantly attracted from the synthetic sex pheromone. The results indicate that in searching behaviour of A. nerii, A chilensis is oriented towards areas likely to contain suitable host stages by host-derived information.