Journal of Insect Behavior (1995) 8, 671-686

J. van Baaren, J. -P. Nénon and G. Boivin (1995)
Comparison of oviposition behavior of a solitary and a gregarious parasitoid (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae)
Journal of Insect Behavior 8 (5), 671-686
Abstract: Anaphes victus Huber and Anaphes listronoti Huber (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) are respectively solitary and gregarious egg parasitoids of the carrot weevil, Listronotus oregonensis (LeConte) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). We made detailed ethograms of the oviposition behavior on unparasitized and parasitized hosts for the two species. We then compared the behavior of virgin and mated females for the oviposition of male and female progenies. The two species did not always oviposit after insertion of the ovipositor, but these punctures without oviposition could be readily differentiated from oviposition. A. victus oviposited only once by puncture, whileA. listronoti deposited one to three eggs during the same sequence. The variability of the duration of the various components was generally lower for a given female than between females. Two components, the abdominal vibrations and the pause, were significantly shorter in ovipositions that resulted in male progency for the two species. However, an important overlap in duration prevents using these differences to sex the progeny at oviposition. Virgin females of both species, although capable of producing only males, exhibited both behaviors. Parasitized hosts were recognized through internal and external markings that were used in host discrimination.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Joan van Baaren, Guy Boivin

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Listronotus oregonensis
Anaphes listronoti (parasitoid)	Listronotus oregonensis
Anaphes victus (parasitoid)	Listronotus oregonensis