The intricate relationships between parasites and their hosts, which influence behavior and phenotype through various means, represent an intriguing ecological phenomenon. However, the molecular mechanisms governing such regulation remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to shed light on this phenomenon by focusing on the parasitic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae and its host Sogatella furcifera, as a model for investigation. The parasitic fungus was observed to modify the feeding behavior of S. furcifera, causing it to shift its preference from specific virus-infected rice plants to random feeding. Examination of S. furcifera’s antennae using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed several major types in sensilla, including sensilla auricillica, sensilla trichoidea A, sensilla trichoidea B and Sensilla chaetica, with no distinctions between males and females. Furthermore, infection by M. anisopliae led to decreased expression of olfactory-related genes in S. furcifera, which correlated with the observed change in feeding behavior, indicating a potential olfactory response to the fungus. Knocking down specific genes, including chemosensory proteins (CSP1) and sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMP2), inhibited S. furcifera’s preference for the odor of virus-infected rice plants, similar to the response after fungal infection. These findings suggest that the parasitic fungus may influence the insect host’s olfactory behavior towards plant volatile attractants by regulating olfactory genes, offering new insights into understanding parasite-host interactions and proposing potential strategies for controlling target insect pests using a combination of fungus and chemical odorants.