Effect of Host Age on Rate of Development of Nasonia vitripennis (Walk.) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)
Keyword(s):
Host Age
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AbstractDevelopment time for the parasite Nasonia vitripennis (Walk.) was shorter on young pupae (less than 48 hours old at 24.5 ± 0.5 °C) than on older pupae of the house fly, Musca domestica L. This was primarily because of intrinsic differences between young and old house-fly pupae as hosts. Though less important, two other conditions in young hosts favoured a shorter mean development period for N. vitripennis: first, the smaller proportion of very small parasites, which mature more slowly than the larger ones; and, second, the greater number of parasite larvae per host, which is associated with more rapid development in this species.