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Introduction
Introduction
Common name is Parasitoid wasp
Found in fields or gardens with nectar and pollen producing plants
Primary literature article: Hardy, I. C. W., Griffiths, N. T., & Godfray, H. C. J. (1992). Clutch Size in a Parasitoid Wasp: A Manipulation Experiment. Journal of Animal Ecology, 61(1), 121–129.
Background
Background
Parasitoid wasps lay their eggs in or on a host rather than stinging or biting
These wasps are characterized as parasitic because their genes house the Polydnavirus (PDV) (Herniou, et. al, 2013)
Once PDV becomes apparent in the genes of the wasp, the wasp can infect other organisms and make them its host (Herniou, et. al, 2013)
A parasitoids main choice of animal to infect is a hornworm caterpillar (Manduca sexta)
Taxonomy
Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Subphylum: Hexapoda Class: Insecta Order: Hymenoptera Suborder: Apocrita Family: Braconidae Genus: Cotesia Species: Cotesia congregata
Data Analysis
Data Analysis
Scientists wanted to determine if the clutch size of the parasitoid wasp was dependent on the size of its host (Hardy, et. al, 1992)
A group of one hundred and twenty-six wasps laid their eggs (clutch) and were monitored, as well as two more generations of wasps; three generations in total (Hardy, et. al, 1992)
The clutch size, the size of the host, and the size of the offspring were all measured to test the impact on the offspring (Hardy et. al, 1992)
Conclusion
Conclusion
The clutch size was increased by the size of the host, but the wasp is not necessarily picky about the hosts' size when finding somewhere to lay her clutch (Hardy, et. al, 1992)
Shown in the graphs, each time a female wasp reproduced, the clutch became larger, and so did the offspring (Hardy, et, al. 1992)
The fitness of the clutch once they hatch is independent of the size of the host, but the graphs show that the offspring became larger when the host was larger (Hardy, et. al, 1992)
Further studies: larger number of hosts, more varied conditions
References
References
Hardy, I. C. W., Griffiths, N. T., & Godfray, H. C. J. (1992). Clutch Size in a Parasitoid Wasp: A Manipulation Experiment. Journal of Animal Ecology, 61(1), 121–129.
Herniou, E. A., Huguet, E., Theze, J., Bezier, A., Periquet, G., & Drezen, J.-M. (September 19, 2013). When parasitic wasps hijacked viruses: Genomic and functional evolution of polydnaviruses. Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23938758/
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