Lifetime gains and patterns of accumulation and mobilization of nutrients in females of the synovigenic parasitoid, Diglyphus isaea Walker (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), as a function of diet

In nature, adult parasitoids feed to obtain and use nutrients for supplementing and/or replenishing some of their existing array of nutrient reserves. When adults feed on host or non-host food, they can enhance fitness, typically by increasing egg production or longevity. In the present study, ovigeny index (OI) and impact of female fitness, as well as physiological state on the reproductive strategies, were investigated in the synovigenic parasitoid, Diglyphus isaea, fed on host food (2-3rd instars of Liriomyza sativae larvae), non-host foods (10% honey solution) and starved (distilled water, control). The results showed that D. isaea was a strongly synovigenic parasitoid, of which OI value was 0.002. Both types of food enhanced the fecundity and prolonged the longevity of the females. D. isaea females fed on non-host food showed higher levels of gut sugar, body sugar and glycogen than those fed on host food, but the levels of lipid were higher in the host-fed females. D. isaea females seemed to show lipogenesis, with low rates of lipid catabolism sufficient to satisfy the requirement of egg maturation. Females might absorb lipids directly from the haemolymph of paralyzed hosts.     

Interactions between Phaedrotoma scabriventris Nixon (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Diglyphus isaea Walker (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), parasitoids of Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard) (Diptera: Agromyzidae)

Liriomyza leafminer flies represent a serious threat to horticultural production in East Africa. Total field parasitism rates recorded in Kenya are below 5%, with the indigenous ectoparasitoid Diglyphus isaea Walker being one of the key parasitoid species. The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), in collaboration with the International Potato Centre (CIP), imported into Kenya the endoparasitoid Phaedrotoma scabriventris Nixon to improve natural control of leafminers. The objective of this study was to investigate the interactions between D. isaea and P. scabriventris when used together for the biological control of Liriomyza species. These interactions were studied under laboratory conditions, using treatments that involved single, simultaneous and sequential releases of the different parasitoid species onto plants infested by L. huidobrensis larvae. While used separately, parasitism rates of D. isaea and P. scabriventris were 30.4 ± 10.9% and 63.6 ± 7.7% respectively. However, when used simultaneously, the total parasitism rate increased to 77.0 ± 5.3%. Although P. scabriventris had no effect on D. isaea, the presence of D. isaea reduced the specific parasitism rate of P. scabriventris. In addition, both parasitoids induced leafminer mortality through larval-feeding and stinging. However, feeding and stinging mortality induced by D. isaea (41.9 ± 9.1%) was significantly higher compared to P. scabriventris (11.9 ± 8.7). Similarly, pupal mortality due to feeding and stinging activity was 49.1 ± 6.5% and 21.6 ± 1.9% when exposed to D. isaea and P. scabriventris respectively. The implication for simultaneous use of both parasitoids in East Africa is discussed.     

Temperature-dependent functional response of Diglyphus isaea and Hemiptarsenus zilahisebessi parasitizing Liriomyza sativae

This study was conducted to address the effect of different constant temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 °C) on the functional response of the parasitoid wasps Diglyphus isaea Walker and Hemiptarsenus zilahisebessi Erdös to different densities of Liriomyza sativae Blanchard (2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 larvae) under laboratory conditions. The results revealed the Type II functional response for both parasitoids at different temperatures. The highest searching efficiency for D. isaea and H. zilahisebessi occurred at 25 °C (0.926 ± 0.211 h⁻¹) and 30 °C (1.012 ± 0.241 h⁻¹), respectively. In addition, the shortest handling time for D. isaea and H. zilahisebessi were observed at 25 °C (0.063 ± 0.008 h) and 30 °C (0.058 ± 0.008 h), respectively. These results demonstrated that H. zilahisebessi is more efficient at higher temperatures than D. isaea. Both parasitoids had higher parasitism performance when temperature increased (4.67 parasitized hosts/day at 15 °C vs 15.87 parasitized hosts/day at 25 °C for D. isaea and 3.89 parasitized hosts/day at 15 °C vs 17.24 parasitized hosts/day at 30 °C for H. zilahisebessi). In addition, a quadratic regression was found between handling time and temperature as well as between number of the parasitized larvae and temperature in D. isaea and H. zilahisebessi at different densities of L. sativae. This study provided a preliminary information on the parasitic behavior of these parasitoids and that D. isaea and H. zilahisebessi can be used properly beside other non-chemical approaches to manage L. sativae damage at a temperature range of 25–30 °C, respectively.     

取食不同糖分对卵育型寄生蜂潜蝇姬小蜂雌蜂寿命和卵子发生的影响

取食糖类物质有利于延长具寄主取食特性的卵育型寄生蜂的寿命。为了明确自然界常见糖分对卵育型寄生蜂的营养功能差异, 本研究比较了取食葡萄糖、 果糖、 蔗糖、 海藻糖和松三糖5种常见糖分对斑潜蝇类害虫的优势寄生蜂潜蝇姬小蜂Diglyphus isaea雌蜂寿命和卵子发生的影响。结果显示: 取食5种糖均能显著延长雌蜂寿命（P<0.0001）; 取食果糖的雌蜂寿命显著长于取食葡萄糖、 蔗糖、 海藻糖和松三糖的雌蜂寿命（P<0.0001）, 取食葡萄糖、 蔗糖和海藻糖3个处理间差异不显著（P>0.4234）, 但均显著长于取食松三糖（P<0.0001）; 同时, 各个处理的雌蜂寿命与其个体大小均分别呈显著正相关关系。初羽化雌蜂卵巢中没有Ⅲ级卵子（即成熟卵子）; 清水处理的雌蜂, 24 h后卵巢中Ⅲ级卵子达到高峰, 48 h时则全部重吸收; 而取食5种糖的雌蜂, 卵巢中的Ⅲ级卵子和总卵子数量整体上均呈现先显著上升而后逐步下降的趋势, 取食不同糖分的雌蜂卵子形成高峰期的时间不同, 而且取食不同糖分的雌蜂间Ⅲ级卵子高峰日数量和总卵子高峰日数量均无显著差异（P>0.05）。该研究结果为潜蝇姬小蜂的大量室内饲养和田间释放提供了依据。     

Effects of Endophyte Colonization of Vicia faba (Fabaceae) Plants on the Life–History of Leafminer Parasitoids Phaedrotoma scabriventris (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Diglyphus isaea (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

Effects of the fungal endophytes Beauveria bassiana (isolates ICIPE 279, G1LU3, S4SU1) and Hypocrea lixii (isolate F3ST1) on the life-history of Phaedrotoma scabriventris and Diglyphus isaea, parasitoids of the pea leafminer Liriomyza huidobrensis, were studied in the laboratory. Parasitoids were allowed to parasitize 2^nd and 3^rd instar L. huidobrensis larvae reared on endophytically-inoculated faba bean, Vicia faba. In the control, parasitoids were reared on non-inoculated host plants. Parasitism, pupation, adult emergence and survival were recorded. No significant difference was observed between the control and the endophyte-inoculated plants in terms of parasitism rates of P. scabriventris (p = 0.68) and D. isaea (p = 0.45) and adult'' survival times (p = 0.06). The survival period of the F1 progeny of P. scabriventris was reduced (p<0.0001) in B. bassiana S4SU1 to 28 days as compared to more than 40 days for B. bassiana G1LU3, ICIPE 279 and H. lixii F3ST1. However, no significant difference (p = 0.54) was observed in the survival times of the F1 progeny of D. isaea. This study has demonstrated that together, endophytes and parasitoids have beneficial effects in L. huidobrensis population suppression.     

The parasitoid complex (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) of leafminer flies (Diptera, Agromyzidae) in the middle Volga Basin

Parasitoid complexes of fifteen species of Agromyzidae reared from 20 host plants were studied: Agromyza nana Meigen, Aulagromyza populi (Kalt.), Amauromyza sp. n. aff. insularis, Calycomyza humeralis (von Roser), Chromatomyia horticola (Goureau), Liriomyza eupatoriana Spencer, L. demeijerei Hering, L. dracunculi Hering, L. strigata (Meigen), L. soror Hendel, L. tanaceti de Meijere, L. taraxaci Hering, Ophiomyia quinta Spencer (recorded for the first time for the Palaearctic), Phytomyza petoei Hering, and Ph. griffithsi Spencer. A total of 38 host-parasitoid associations were analyzed, 31 of them were previously unrecorded. During this research, 17 Eulophidae parasitoid species (Cirrospilus viticola (Rondani), Chrysocharis pubicornis (Zetterstedt), Ch. viridis Nees, Ch. crassiscapus (Thomson), Closterocerus trifasciatus Westwood, Diglyphus crassinervis Erdös, D. chabrias (Walker), D. isaea Walker, D. poppoea Walker, D. pusztensis (Erdös, Novicky), Minotetrastichus frontalis (Nees), Neochrysocharis aratus (Walker), N. formosa (Westwood), Pnigalio pectinicornis (Linnaeus), P. soemius (Walker), Pediobius metallicus (Nees), and P. cassidae Erdös) were found. New parasitoids were recorded for Ch. horticola, A. nana, and Ph. petoei. The number of ectoparasitoid species was 1.25 times as great as that of endoparasitoids in the complexes, whereas the number of reared specimens of ectoparasitoids was 1.7 times as great as that of endoparasitoids. The dominant species of the parasitoid complexes of Agromyzidae were D. isaea (28.4%), Pediobius metallicus (14.5%), N. formosa (13.7%), and Pnigalio soemius (12.7%).     

Biological control of the leafminer,Liriomyza trifolii by introduction,releasing, evaluation of the parasitoids Diglyphus isaea and Dacnusa sibirica on vegetables crops in greenhouses in Egypt

Abstract

The serpentine leafminer, Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess) (Diptera: Agromyzidae), is one of the most serious pests of various floricultural and vegetable crops. The European strains of the parasitoids Diglyphus isaea (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) and Dacnusa sibirica Telenga (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) were imported from The Netherlands. A total of 90,000 of these parasitoids were reared and released on cucumber and tomato in greenhouses. The parasitism rates of D. sibirica reached maximum 11.6% and 7.2% in the 11th week from the releasing date, on cucumber and tomato, respectively. Also the parasitism rates of the European strain of D. isaea increased until it reached a maximum 2.1% and 1.4%, in the tenth week from the releasing date on cucumber and tomato, respectively. It is concluded that the parasitoids D. sibirica and the European strain of D. isaea can be established in Egypt.     

Mitochondrial phylogeography of a leafminer parasitoid, Diglyphus isaea (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in China

Diglyphus isaea is one of the primary parasitoids of agromyzid leafminers. Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I sequences from 10 Chinese localities were used to investigate geographic variation within this widespread and morphologically uniform parasitoid. Phylogeographic analyses and sequence variation indicated that this species was actually a species-complex. We used an amber fossil record of the genus Entedon (Eulophidae: Entedoninae) as a reference to estimate the divergence time of major clades within D. isaea. With reference to the fossil record of its hosts, our results indicate that associations between parasitoids and leaf-miners could have been possibly established 38.2 million years ago.     

Conditioning as a factor in parasitoid host plant preference

The relative effects of larval and adult conditioning on Diglyphus isaea host plant preference and subsequent parasitism were investigated. Parasitoid larvae were reared on Chromatomyia syngenesiae on lettuce, chrysanthemum or in isolation, and female parasitoids were exposed to hosts on either lettuce or chrysanthemum. Hosts on lettuce and chrysanthemum were then presented to assess parasitoid preference. Larval and adult D. isaea conditioning only slightly affected the females selection of host plant type on which the host larvae were located. The major effect of conditioning was a reduction in the number of eggs laid after larvae and adults were conditioned on chrysanthemum and particularly when both stages were conditioned on this host plant.     

Development of the braconid wasp Cotesia flavipes in two Crambids, Diatraea saccharalis and Eoreuma loftini: Evidence of host developmental disruption

Cotesia flavipes is an important gregarious larval endoparasitoid of several crambid stem borers, including Diatraea saccharalis. The suitability of two crambid species, Eoreuma loftini and D. saccharalis, pests of sugarcane and rice in Texas, for C. flavipes development was tested. The effect of parasitization by C. flavipes on encapsulation response was assessed in vivo in both D. saccharalis and E. loftini. The results indicated that the parasitoid developed and emerged successfully in D. saccharalis larvae. Although E. loftini larvae were readily parasitized by C. flavipes parasitoids, no wasp larvae hatched from the eggs in this host because eggs were encapsulated by the host's hemocytes. The developmental fate of the E. loftini larvae with encapsulated parasitoids was variable. Most died as abnormal fifth instars or as post-wandering prepupae, while a few developed normally to the pupal stage. In vivo experiments, there was a significant reduction in the percent of beads encapsulated in parasitized larvae in both hosts. However, the percent of beads showing melanization decreased significantly in parasitized D. saccharalis larvae but did not differ significantly in parasitized or unparasitized E. loftini larvae. Our results showed that D. saccharalis is a suitable host for C. flavipes whereas E. loftini is an unsuitable host. This study indicated that lepidopteran stem borers that are taxonomically, behaviorally, and ecologically very similar can differ in their ability to encapsulate a parasitoid species.     

Adult diet affects the life history and host-killing behavior of a host-feeding parasitoid

Neochrysocharis formosa (Westwood), an important biocontrol agent of agromyzid leafminers worldwide, is a host-feeding, idiobiont parasitoid. Female wasps have three types of host-killing behaviors: reproductive (parasitism), non-reproductive host feeding (host feeding), and host stinging without oviposition or feeding (host stinging). In this study, we compared the life history and host-killing behaviors of female parasitoids under four adult diets: starvation, hosts only, hosts plus honey (10% w/v honey solution), and honey only. Furthermore, we analyzed the host-feeding and oviposition preferences of adult females in the hosts-only and hosts-plus-honey treatments. Female parasitoids feeding on hosts had significantly increased longevity, higher fecundity, more host-stinging events, and caused a higher total host mortality than parasitoids in the starvation treatment. The honey supplement significantly increased longevity, fecundity, host-stinging events, and total host mortality, as well as average daily fecundity, but did not alter host-feeding events, host-stinging events, or daily total host mortality. However, the honey supplement did reduce the number of daily host-feeding events and induced a shift toward oviposition. Finally, we found that the non-reproductive host killing caused by host feeding and host stinging enhanced the control potential of N. formosa. These results should contribute to a better understanding of the biocontrol efficiency of destructive host feeders.     

Mass production of Diglyphus isaea (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), a biological control agent of a Korean population of potato leaf miner Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard) (Diptera: Agromyzidae)

The potato leaf miner, Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard), is an important pest of potato throughout the world, including Korea. A method was developed for mass rearing the parasitoid Diglyphus isaea (Walker) using faba bean, Vicia faba L. (Fabaceae), as the host‐plant and L. huidobrensis as the insect host. Faba bean plants were planted in pots and maintained in a greenhouse for about 15 d. Pots were then exposed to adult leaf miners in oviposition cages for 4 h. Plants containing late second to early third instar larvae were exposed to adult D. isaea in parasitoid cages for 24 h. The leaf area per pot after 15 d was 597.9 cm², which produced 103.33 larvae per pot. The number of adult parasitoids emerging per pot was 72.5; about 41% of these were female. The daily cost of parasitoid production was USD20.95 per 1000 individual parasitoids. The methodology developed for D. isaea could be used to rear other ectoparasitoids such as Hemiptarsenus spp. and Pnigalio sp. with different insect hosts like L. trifolii. This is why this mass‐rearing information is important for securing test insect materials for ecological and biological study of Liriomyza species, and also for developing a biological control for Liriomyza species other than L. huidobrensis by mass production of associated natural enemies. We are facing rapid agro‐ecosystem changes including pest systems. Continuous monitoring of Liriomyza in solanaceous crops is needed.     

Experimental studies on parasitization byApanteles Glomeratus V. Relationships between growth rate of parasitoid and host age at the time of oviposition

The growth and development ofApanteles glomeratus L. eggs and larvae in the host larva (Pieris rapae crucivora Boisduval) was investigated by calculating their volume. WhenA. glomeratus eggs increase 90 fold in volume after being laid, larvae hatch from them. The larvae grow exponentially and the growth rate of the parasitoid is dependent on the host stage. Being laid in the 1st instar host, the parasitoids grow more slowly than those laid in 2nd–4th instar host. A pupal host stage prevents the parasitoids’ development. When larvae exceed the threshold size of 5.0×10⁸ μ³, they enter the 2nd instar. A few days after they attain the maximum size of 3.3×10⁹ μ³, they moult and egress from the host body.     

霍氏啮小蜂的卵巢发育和卵子发生

霍氏啮小蜂是一些鳞翅目和双翅目昆虫蛹的寄生蜂。本文描述该寄生蜂从亚洲玉米螟羽化后0,6 12,18,24,30,36,42,48,54,60,66和72 h的卵巢发育和卵子发生过程。霍氏啮小蜂雌性生殖系统为典型的膜翅目姬小蜂类型,包括2个卵巢,每个卵巢通常有8-9根卵巢管,另有1对输卵管附腺,1个受精囊和1个受精囊腺等。卵黄和卵子形成于羽化后12 h,刚羽化的雌蜂不含成熟卵(成熟卵指数OI=0),成熟卵出现在羽化后24 h,成熟卵数量随后不断增加至数量较为稳定。卵巢管内卵数与雌蜂的体长和头宽呈正相关,相关系数分别为0.859和0.907。研究结果表明霍氏啮小蜂属卵育型(synovigeny)寄生蜂,本文还讨论了卵育型霍氏啮小蜂的卵成熟策略。     

Relations between water mites of the genusHydrachna and the corixidsSigara striata andCymatia coleoptrata

The larvae of the water mitesHydrachna conjecta andH. cruenta are parasitic on corixids.H. conjecta larvae are attached to the underside of the hemelytra of the host and those ofH. cruenta to the legs. The growth ofH. cruenta larvae is less than that of the more shelteredH. conjecta larvae. The infection influences the egg production of the host: infectedSigara striata females have fewer eggs in the ovarioles than uninfected ones. The number of eggs in the ovarioles of the host is related to the size of the parasite. It may be assumed that the presence ofH. conjecta larvae causes a lower fecundity in the host than those ofH. cruenta. InCymatia coleoptrata, a much smaller host thanS. striata, the fecundity is even more impaired by both parasite species. For in the ovarioles of infectedC. coleoptrata females no developed eggs were found at all. So, it is clear that it is anyhow the relation between body size of host and parasite that matters.     

Biosteres longicaudatus: Developmental dependence on host (Anastrepha suspensa) physiology

Larvae of Anastrepha suspensa that were in the first day of the third instar were parasitized by females of the solitary endoparasitoid, Biosteres longicaudatus. At the end of the 6-hr oviposition period, larvae were ligated posterior to the ring gland so that some larvae had parasitoids anterior to the ligature while in others, the parasitoids were in the abdomen, posterior to the ligature. Ninety-two percent of the parasitoids anterior to the ligature hatched to the first through third instars. Parasitoids posterior to the ligature had a 75% egg hatch to the first instar only. No larval molts to the second or subsequent instars occurred in these parasitoids. Upon parabiosis to 3-day-old, unparasitized host pupae, the ligated larvae pupated and 97% of the first-instar parasitoids in these parabiosed larval abdomens molted to the second instar. Newly laid parasitoid eggs transplanted to 3-day-old pupal hosts had less than one-third of the egg hatch of those transplanted to first-day third-instar hosts. The data implicate the physiological state of the host (vis-a-vis pupation and associated events) as being an important factor in the development of the endoparasitoid.     

Development of Asian parasitoids in larvae Of Drosophila Suzukii feeding on blueberry and artificial diet

In just a few years, the Asian fly Drosophila suzukii has invaded several continents and has become a very serious pest of many fruit crops worldwide. Current control methods rely on chemical insecticides or expensive and labour‐intensive cultural practices. Classical biological control through the introduction of Asian parasitoids that have co‐evolved with the pest may provide a sustainable solution on condition that they are sufficiently specific to avoid non‐target effects on local biodiversity. Here, we present the first study on the development of three larval parasitoids from China and Japan, the Braconidae Asobara japonica and the Figitidae Leptopilina japonica and Ganaspis sp., on D. suzukii. The Asian parasitoids were compared with Leptopilina heterotoma, a common parasitoid of several Drosophilidae worldwide. The three Asian species were successfully reared on D. suzukii larvae in both, blueberry and artificial diet, in contrast to L. heterotoma whose eggs and larvae were encapsulated by the host larvae. All parasitoids were able to oviposit one day after emergence. Asobara japonica laid as many eggs in larvae feeding in blueberry as in artificial diet, whereas L. heterotoma oviposited more in larvae on the artificial diet and the Asian Figitidae oviposited more in larvae feeding on blueberry. Ganaspis sp. laid very few eggs in larvae in the artificial diet, suggesting that it may be specialized in Drosophila species living in fresh fruits. These data will be used for the development of a host range testing to assess the suitability of Asian parasitoids as biological control agents in invaded regions.     

Host feeding in insect parasitoids: why destructively feed upon a host that excretes an alternative?

Host feeding is the consumption of host tissue by the adult female parasitoid. We studied the function of destructive host feeding and its advantage over non‐destructive feeding on host‐derived honeydew in the whitefly parasitoid Encarsia formosa Gahan (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). We allowed parasitoids to oviposit until they attempted to host feed. We either prevented or allowed host feeding. Parasitoids had access to sucrose solution, with or without additional access to honeydew. Parasitoids that were allowed to host feed did not have a higher egg load 20 or 48 h after host feeding than parasitoids prevented from host feeding. Host feeding did not increase the number of eggs matured within these periods, nor did the time spent host feeding positively affect any of these response variables. On the other hand, the presence of honeydew did have a positive effect on egg load 20 and 48 h after host feeding compared with parasitoids deprived of honeydew. Parasitoids with access to honeydew matured more eggs within these periods than honeydew‐deprived parasitoids. Host feeding increased life expectancy, but this effect was nullified when honeydew was supplied after the host‐feeding attempt. In conclusion, feeding on honeydew could be an advantageous alternative to host feeding in terms of egg quantity and longevity. This applies especially to parasitoids exploiting Homoptera, because these parasitoids can obtain honeydew from the host itself. It is possible that destructive host feeding has evolved to enable females to sustain the production of high‐quality anhydropic eggs, which may be important in the parasitoid's natural environment. We argue that future studies should take natural alternative food sources into more consideration.     

补充非寄主食物对芙新姬小蜂和潜蝇姬小蜂控害行为权衡的影响

芙新姬小蜂和潜蝇姬小蜂均为强卵育型(synovigenic)寄生蜂,成虫具有产卵寄生致死、寄主取食致死和寄主叮蛰直接致死3种寄主致死行为。为了明确成虫补充非寄主食物营养对2种姬小蜂控害潜力/控害行为的影响,本文比较研究了分别提供寄主食物和寄主食物+非寄主食物(10%葡萄糖)条件下的2种姬小蜂在初羽化前期(前6 d)内对美洲斑潜蝇幼虫的致死行为的影响。结果显示:在仅提供寄主食物时,芙新姬小蜂的寄生、取食和总体致死量均显著的高于潜蝇姬小蜂,但是直接致死能力却弱于后者;补充非寄主食物和仅提供寄主食物处理相比,两种寄生蜂的寄生量,取食量和总致死量均呈下降趋势。该研究显示:在初羽化前期,取食寄主食物的雌蜂比取食寄主食物+葡萄糖的雌蜂具有更强的致死能力。     

Importance of host feeding for parasitoids that attack honeydew-producing hosts

Insect parasitoids lay their eggs in arthropods. Some parasitoid species not only use their arthropod host for oviposition but also for feeding. Host feeding provides nutrients to the adult female parasitoid. However, in many species, host feeding destroys an opportunity to oviposit. For parasitoids that attack Homoptera, honeydew is a nutrient‐rich alternative that can be directly imbibed from the host anus without injuring the host. A recent study showed that feeding on host‐derived honeydew can be an advantageous alternative in terms of egg quantity and longevity. Here we explore the conditions under which destructive host feeding can provide an advantage over feeding on honeydew. For 5 days, Encarsia formosa Gahan (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) parasitoids were allowed daily up to 3 h to oviposit until host feeding was attempted. Host feedings were either prevented or allowed and parasitoids had ad libitum access to honeydew between foraging bouts. Even in the presence of honeydew, parasitoids allowed to host feed laid more eggs per hour of foraging per host‐feeding attempt than parasitoids that were prevented from host feeding. The higher egg‐laying rate was not compromised by survival or by change in egg volume over time. In conclusion, host feeding can provide an advantage over feeding on honeydew. This applies most likely under conditions of high host density or low extrinsic mortality of adult parasitoids, when alternative food sources cannot supply enough nutrients to prevent egg limitation. We discuss how to integrate ecological and physiological studies on host‐feeding behavior