Some parasitoids deposit chemical signals after oviposition as an indication that the host has already been parasitized. This marking can deter subsequent conspecifics or one’s self from laying eggs in previously exploited hosts, thus reducing the risk of superparasitism. We investigated the egg laying behaviour of the parasitoid wasp Hyposoter horticola. In a laboratory experiment, we tested w...

The first North American record for Elachertus scutellatus , a parasitoid of Calpodes ethlius Stoll, occurred August 1999, in Florida. A simple rearing protocol was established to allow the morphology and development of this wasp to be examined. The egg and larval morphology and development of E. scutellatus resemble other Elachertus species. The freshlyecdysed pupa, on the other hand, is rare ...

The leafminer Caloptilia porphyretica Braun (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), has become a frequent pest in commercial highbush blueberries, Vaccinium corymbosum L., in New Jersey, but little is known about its seasonal abundance, life history, and parasitism rates. Monitoring programs were conducted from 2003 to 2006 on seven blueberry farms to determine the relative abundance of this leafminer b...

Female Nasonia vitripennis lay fewer eggs and increase the proportion of male offspring when ovipositing in previously parasitized hosts compared to unparasitized hosts. This study examines the location and nature of the cues that females use in these clutch size and sex ratio decisions. Neither the sex ratio nor the clutch size response relies on chemical cues on, or a hole drilled in, the out...

The trade-off between current and future reproduction has led many organisms experiencing stochastic reproductive opportunities to be flexible in their resource acquisition and allocation rules. Many parasitoid wasps display flexibility in choosing to host-feed or oviposit on a host and possess an ovarian system enabling nutrient reallocation through egg resorption. The aim of this work is to a...