Sublethal doses of imidacloprid disrupt sexual communication and host finding in a parasitoid wasp

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 7; no. 1; p. 42756
• Main Authors: Tappert, Lars, Pokorny, Tamara, Hofferberth, John, Ruther, Joachim
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 15.02.2017; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/158/2456; 704/172/4081; Beneficial arthropods; Breeding success; Chemical communication; Courtship; Ecological function; Ecosystem services; Ecosystems; Females; Humanities and Social Sciences; Imidacloprid; Insecticides; multidisciplinary; Natural enemies; Neonicotinoid insecticides; Olfaction; Olfactory stimuli; Parasitoids; Pollinators; Reproduction; Science; Sex pheromone; Smell

Neonicotinoids are widely used insecticides, but their use is subject of debate because of their detrimental effects on pollinators. Little is known about the effect of neonicotinoids on other beneficial insects such as parasitoid wasps, which serve as natural enemies and are crucial for ecosystem f...