A parasitoid overcomes collective defense by silencing host communication

Ephedrus lacertosus venom suppresses aphid alarm pheromone release during oviposition, silencing alarm communication and abolishing alarm-triggered escape responses.

• Why it matters: Collective defense in gregarious insects depends on alarm signaling, but it was unclear whether parasitoids can directly disrupt that communication to counter group responses.
• What they did: Using venom proteomics and RNAi screening, the study identified two overlapping venom proteins, Apbt1 and Apbt2, that block alarm pheromone release.
• The result: RNAi knockdown of Apbts restored aphid alarm behaviors and reduced parasitism success across multiple host species, suggesting a lineage-specific venom strategy.

AI summary of the abstract · may contain errors · not medical advice · read the paper.