In the present study, Y-tube olfactometric assays confirmed that volatiles from maize seedlings infested with Chilo partellus larvae were more attractive to the borer's larval endoparasitoid Cotesia flavipes, than volatiles from uninfested maize. Coupled gas chromatography-electroantennographic detector (GC-EAD) analysis of the volatiles from larvae-infested maize revealed six electrophysiologically active compounds on the antennae of the female parasitoid. These compounds were identified by GC-MS as (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, linalool, (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene, heptanal, (E)-[beta]-ocimene and a C-5 aliphatic compound. (E)-4,8-Dimethyl-1, 3, 7-nonatriene was present in EAG-detectable amounts in the volatiles of uninfested seedlings. In bioassays, a blend comprised of (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, linalool, (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene, (E)-[beta]-ocimene and heptanal was significantly attractive to the parasitoid. Of the individual compounds, (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate was attractive at the doses tested while (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1, 3, 7-nonatriene and heptanal showed varying degree of attractiveness to the parasitoid at different doses. Linalool and (E)-[beta]-ocimene were unattractive at the same doses. The significance of these results is discussed. none