Learning as a factor in host discrimination

Naive individuals may require exposure to or previous experience of a host or pheromonal stimulus before host discrimination occurs (van Lenteren, 1981 Roitberg and Prokopy, 1981). 

Still another factor in spacing conununication system stability is residual activity of a chemical stimulus, which may vary over time according to the insect species and the nature of the message conveyed. For example, the repellent pheromone deposited by Xylocopa bees following extraction of nectar from passion flowers persists for only about 10 minutes, which may coincide with the time required for replenishment of some of the nectar, whereas Oecophylla ants deposit territorial pheromone which persists for up to 12 days, designating areas of continuous exploitation (see Section 11.5). Residual activity 

Finally, the stability of resource-partitioning chemical stimuli over the long term, as well as the short term, may be affected by the stochastic influences of both abiotic and biotic components of an unpredictable environment. 

It is instructive to note that the vast majority of known examples of insect response to resource-partitioning chemical signals have come to light only within the past decade. Thus, we would predict that chemical messengers of this sort are more widespread among insects than presently realized. More specifically, we anticipate in the near future a substantial increase in the number of 

While many new examples of resource-partitioning stimuli in insects will undoubtedly be uncovered through laboratory investigations, we believe that analysis of the foraging behavior patterns of individuals in space and time in diverse semi-natural or natural (non-agricultural) habitats will prove more productive. Too often, the laboratory test arena is not conducive to the full expression of a behavioral repertoire as exhibited in a more natural situation where the entire constellation of relevant resource and background stimuli may be simultaneously interacting. 

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