Aphids or Their Parasitoids: Who Actually Benefits from Ant-Attendance?

Abstract

The influence of ant-attendance on patterns of parasitism was studied for two parasitoid species attacking the black bean aphid Aphis fabae (Scop.), Trioxys angelicae (Haliday) and Lysiphlebus cardui (Marshall) on the host-plants Evonymus europaeus (L.) and Cirsium arvense (L.). Foraging Trioxys angelicae females were heavily attacked by honeydew-collecting ants. However, ants did not treat Lysiphlebus cardui females in an aggressive way. Ant attendance provided a considerable protection for A.fabae against T.angelicae, but did not prevent a high parasitization success of L.cardui