Learning difficulties: identification

In Alloxysta victrix, 6-methylhept-5-en-2-one 16, which is produced by both males and females, was identified as potentially attractive to the males and slightly repellent to the females in Y-tube olfactometer assays [60]. In this study, the activity was also dependent on prior exposure of the insects to the compound. Naive insects responded more strongly than previously exposed ones. This underscores a second difficulty in the bioassay-guided identification of parasitoid hymenopteran pheromones the responses are very dependent on the context and on prior exposure. Learning has been demonstrated in several species of parasitic hymenoptera [61-65]. 

For those individuals who may desire to learn more about HTHA, please review items 4, 5, 6, and 7 within the technical findings section of the CSB report. It is paramount to understand the difficulty of inspection and identification of HTHA. The corrosive condition can be microscopic and may be present only in small, localized areas of equipment. Inspection methods are umeliable. There are few inspectors who have the techniques and expertise to identify HTHA. 

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