Diapause induction in aphid parasitoids

Abstract

Diapause is one of the adaptations that insects have evolved for the synchronisation of their life cycle with seasonal climatic changes and resources. In aphid parasitoids, univoltine species have an obligatory, genetically determined diapause. Polyvoltine species, on the other hand, use a variety of abiotic (temperature, photoperiod) and biotic (host insect or/and host plant) signals for the induction of diapause. We present an overview of the role of these environmental cues in diapause induction in specialist and generalist aphid parasitoids, and discuss possible endocrine factors that may be involved in diapause induction.