Mendel, Z., Jasrotia, P., Protasov, A., Kol-Maimon, H., Levi-Zada, A., & Franco, J.C. 2012 Responses of Second-Instar Male Nymphs of Four Mealybug Species (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) to Conspecific and Heterospecific Female Sex Pheromones. Journal of Insect Behavior 25:504–513

Keywords:

behavior

Notes: The response of the late second-instar male nymphs of the mealybug species (Hemiptera, Pseudococcidae), Planococcus citri (Risso), Planococcus ficus (Signoret), Pseudococcus cryptus/ Hempel and Nipaecoccus viridis (Newstead), to their conspecific and heterospecific female pheromone was studied. We suggest that by being attracted to the conspecific pheromone these males may direct themselves to a suitable pupation site near conspecific non-sibling mature females, thus preventing inbreeding. The repellency of heterospecific sex pheromone to males that are looking for a pupation site suggests that the latter try to avoid close contact with heterospecific females.