Green Lacewing Is Attracted to Volatile Organic Compounds and Essential Oils Extracted from Leaves.

Plant herbivore interactions have long been recognized as a complex interplay influenced by various factors, including plant volatile emissions. Understanding the role of these volatiles in mediating plant predator interactions is crucial for developing sustainable pest management strategies. This study investigated the olfactory preferences of larvae for volatiles emitted by leaves, focusing on both seedlings and essential oils (EOs). We used Y-tube olfactometry to compare larval preferences between the clean air and various plant treatments, including undamaged and herbivore-damaged leaves. Chemical analysis of EOs revealed higher concentrations of oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes in young and damaged leaves, particularly linalool, which has been implicated in insect attraction. Our results showed a significant preference for volatiles emitted by young damaged leaves over clean air for both seedlings (χ = 11.03, = 0.001) and EOs (χ = 9.76, = 0.002). larvae are significantly attracted to specific volatiles from damaged leaves, suggesting these compounds could serve as cues for natural enemy foraging. Our findings enhance the understanding of plant-predator dynamics and suggest potential applications of eucalyptus plantations to sustain populations for biocontrol purposes.