Habitat fragmentation may interrupt trophic interactions if herbivores and their specific parasitoids respond differently to decreasing connectivity of populations. Theoretical models predict that species at higher trophic levels are more negatively affected by isolation than lower trophic level species. By combining ecological data with genetic information from microsatellite markers we tested...

Parasitism can influence many aspects of the host’s behaviour and physiology, which in turn can have a profound impact on their population and evolutionary ecology. In many host parasite interactions there is often a time lag between infection and the death of the host, yet little is known, experimentally or theoretically, about the effects that intra-class competition between parasitised and u...

The success of maternally transmitted endosymbiotic bacteria, such as Wolbachia, is directly linked to their host reproduction but in direct conflict with other parasites that kill the host before it reaches reproductive maturity. Therefore, symbionts that have evolved strategies to increase their host's ability to evade lethal parasites may have high penetrance, while detrimental symbionts wou...

Laboratory assays show that parasites often have lower heat tolerance than their hosts. But how physiological tolerances and behavioral responses of hosts combine to affect ecological interactions in heterogeneous field environments is largely unknown. We addressed this challenge using the model insect system braconid wasp parasitoid, Cotesia congregata, its caterpillar host, Manduca sexta. use...

We study a stage-structured single species population model with Allee effects. The asymptotic dynamics of the model depend on the maximal growth rate of the population as well as on its initial population size. We also investigate two models of host-parasitoid interaction with stage-structure and Allee effects in the host. The parasitoid population may drive the host population to extinction i...

Glyptapanteles indiensis is a polydnavirus-carrying wasp that parasitizes early instar gypsy moth larvae. During oviposition, the wasp injects calyx fluid containing polydnavirus along with its eggs into the host. Within the host, expression of polydnavirus genes triggers a set of changes in host physiology, which are of critical importance for the survival of the wasp. In the present study, a ...

Among the most common parasites of Drosophila in nature are parasitoid wasps, which lay their eggs in fly larvae and pupae. D. melanogaster larvae can mount a cellular immune response against wasp eggs, but female wasps inject venom along with their eggs to block this immune response. Genetic variation in flies for immune resistance against wasps and genetic variation in wasps for virulence aga...

Eggs of Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller), Cadra cautella (Walker) and Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) are host parasitoid Trichogramma pintoi (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) which is used in biological control pests. In this study, the species egg age preferences were determined parasitization performance adult female T. pinto. For preference, 1, 2, 3 4 days old eggs from three different hosts give...

Objective: In this study the efficacy of two agent of this biological control agent of corn stem borer in corn fields compared with common synthetic insecticides Endosolfan to find a suitable alternative for chemical control of pests in corn fields. Methods: In order to evaluate the efficiency of biocontrol agents of corn stem borer ,Ostrinia nubilalis, experiment was conducted in a ra...

Objective: In this study the efficacy of two agent of this biological control agent of corn stem borer in corn fields compared with common synthetic insecticides Endosolfan to find a suitable alternative for chemical control of pests in corn fields. Methods: In order to evaluate the efficiency of biocontrol agents of corn stem borer ,Ostrinia nubilalis, experiment was conducted in a ra...