Courtship Behaviour of Nasonia Vitripennis (Hym., Pteromalidae): Some Qualitative, Experimental Evidence for the Role of Pheromones

Chemical stimuli appear to play a role in the reproductive behaviour of the parasitic wasp Nasonia vitripennis. We produced qualitative evidence for their function a) in sex recognition (males discriminate conspecific males and females); b) in courtship (males appear to release a pheromone with the extrusion of their mouth parts during head nodding) ; and c) in territorial behaviour (males mark the place where they have copulated; they may take up a residence in such a place over days).