OVIPOSITION RESTRAINT OF NASONIA VITRIPENNIS(HYMENOPTERA: PTEROMALIDAE) ON HOSTS PARASITIZED BY OTHER HYMENOPTEROUS SPECIES

AbstractFemales of Nasonia vitripennis(Walk.) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) discriminate between unparasitized housefly pupae (Musca domesticaL.) and those parasitized by either Muscidifurax raptorG. & S. or Spalangia cameroniPerk. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) and lay fewer eggs on parasitized hosts. Oviposirion restraint is more pronounced towards hosts attacked by M. raptorthan towards those attacked by S. cameroni, but less than that exhibited towards pupae previously parasitized by N. vitripennis. Damage to the fly pupae, from piercing by the female?s ovipositor and probably also from a "venom" injected by the female, is responsible for inter- as well as ultra-specific discrimination and restraint.