Enemy odors help flies protect their offspring
Wednesday, December 16, 2015 - 21:31
in Biology & Nature
In nature, up to 80 percent of Drosophila melanogaster larvae are parasitized by Leptopilina wasps. However, an innate early warning system alerts female flies when wasps are near -- they can then avoid laying eggs near wasps. Researchers have now identified that chemical odorant compounds produced by the wasps (including their sex pheromone) trigger avoidance behavior in these flies.