CONTROL OF EGG FERTILIZATION BY NASONIA VITRIPENNIS (HYMENOPTERA: PTEROMALIDAE) WHEN LAYING ON PARASITIZED HOUSE FLY PUPAE

Abstract

AbstractFemales of Nasonia vitripennis (Walk.) lay a smaller percentage of fertilized (i.e. female) eggs on house fly, Musca domestica L., pupae previously parasitized by their own species, by Muscidifurax zaraptor K. & L., or by Spalangia cameroni Perk. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) than on unparasitized hosts. They respond to changes in the fly pupae associated with death, and in the case of house flies attacked by N. vitripennis, to "venoms" injected at that time or to changes unrelated to death. By not fertilizing eggs that they lay on attacked hosts, the females also conserve sperm, for immature N. vitripennis on previously-attacked fly pupae are usually killed by parasite larvae already present.