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Present address: Institute of Cell, Animal and Population Biology (ICAPB), University of Edinburgh, Kings Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, Scotland, UK
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The physiology of host feeding in parasitic wasps: implications for survival
Article first published online: 13 DEC 2002
DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2435.2002.00679.x
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How to Cite
Giron, D., Rivero, A., Mandon, N., Darrouzet, E. and Casas, J. (2002), The physiology of host feeding in parasitic wasps: implications for survival. Functional Ecology, 16: 750–757. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2435.2002.00679.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 13 DEC 2002
- Article first published online: 13 DEC 2002
- Received 13 February 2002;revised 28 May 2002;accepted 30 May 2002
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Keywords:
- Allocation rules;
- foraging ecology;
- life-history strategies
Summary
- 1Models developed to predict behavioural and life-history decisions of parasitoids rely heavily on assumptions concerning the nature and function of the nutrients that the female obtains from the host.
- 2Using a combination of colorimetric and thin-layer chromatography techniques, we analysed the composition of the host-feeding fluid consumed by the parasitoid Eupelmus vuilletti and found it to be consistent with the composition of the host's haemolymph.
- 3The analysis of the haemolymph revealed that it was rich in proteins but also rich in sugars, trehalose and sucrose in particular.
- 4Injections of these sugars at haemolymph concentrations directly into the parasitoid's haemolymph showed that these sugars are solely responsible for the increased longevity observed in host-fed females.
- 5This study is the first to identify the constituents of host-feeding meals and their impact on parasitoid longevity and provide further evidence of the extent to which parasitoid behavioural decisions are determined by physiological variables. Our study demonstrates that the integration of nutritional physiology, behaviour, life history and population dynamics is essential in order to understand parasitoid foraging ecology.