Sexual attraction in lady beetles: fundamentals and applications

Sustainable agriculture relies on the development of environmentally friendly methods of crop production. Therefore, alternative solutions are required to decrease insecticide use and to promote the efficacy of natural enemies against insect pests. Investigating the sexual behavior of lady beetles is of practical relevance, because these insects could be used to reduce plant-feeding insect populations in crop fields by taking advantage of their predatory behavior. In this context, the objective of this PhD thesis was twofold: (1) a fundamental research that focuses on the identification of the sex pheromone of Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) and (2) an applied approach aimed at elaborating semiochemicals slow-release dispensers with these compounds, in order to attract individuals in cultivated fields. We have demonstrated that virgin females of H. axyridis display a typical male-calling behavior in presence of prey, which is associated with the release of a pheromonal blend that is highly attractive for conspecific males. Dynamic headspace sampling and subsequent chemical analyses allowed the characterization of this sex pheromone. Finally, we focused on the development of a formulation releasing a combination of semiochemicals that attract aphid predators. The formulation, composed of alginate beads, was optimized under laboratory conditions. The release rate of the formulation was assessed by dynamic headspace sampling coupled with adsorbent trapping. The formulation was efficient at attracting two natural enemies of aphids. All these results are discussed in the context of sustainable agriculture, with the use of semiochemicals, and especially pheromones, as potential tools to enhance current cropping systems. In near future, the application of such molecules, based on strong knowledge of insect olfaction, is expected to increase considerably with the development of new methods aimed at attracting predators and/or parasitoids. In addition, improvements of experimental devices, such as the elaboration of slow release dispensers, are suggested in the last chapter of this PhD thesis.