Interspecific Relationships Between the Solitary Ectoparasitoid, Eupelmus vuilleti (Crw.) (Eupelmidae), and Its Sympatric Species, Dinarmus basalis (Rond.) (Pteromalidae), in the Presence of Their Host, Callosobruchus maculatus Pic (Coleoptera Bruchidae)

The eupelmid Eupelmus vuilleti CRW. and the pteromalid Dinarmus basalis Rond. are sympatric in West Africa. The reproduction of E. vuilleti and D. basalis females was analyzed in 10, 20, and 40 host patches when present alone or together. In 10- and 20-hosts patches, the presence of E. vuilleti affected the reproduction and offspring survival chances of D. basalis. In 40-hosts patch, only the offspring survival of D. basalis was affected by the presence of E. vuilleti. In contrast, the presence of D. basalis did not influence the reproduction of E. vuilleti and the survival chances of its offspring at all host densities tested. Multiparasitism did not occur at random. In a choice test, E. vuilleti showed a preference for hosts previously parasitized by D. basalis on healthy hosts. This attraction is mediated by chemical markers deposited by D. basalis females on the surface of the seed. At high host density, the likelihood of encountering a seed containing a host previously parasitized by D. basalis was lower for E. vuilleti, affecting moderately D. basalis reproductive success.     

Analysis of multiparasitism by Eupelmus vuilleti (Craw) (Eupelmidae) and Dinarmus basalis (Rond) (Pteromalidae) in the presence of one of their common hosts,Bruchidius atrolineatus (Pic) (Coleoptera Bruchidae)

Bruchidius atrolineatus (Pic) is a tropical beetle (Coleoptera Bruchidae) that develops during the larval and pupal stages in the seeds of a legume Vigna unguiculata (Walp). Two species of Hymenoptera, Dinarmus basalis (Rond) and Eupelmus vuilleti (Craw), solitary ectoparasitoids of the larvae and pupae of B. atrolineatus, were introduced successively in the presence of their hosts, varying the interval between the two introductions. When D. basalis females were introduced 24 h, 3 days or 7 days after E. vuilleti, multiparasitism was low. The females had low fecundity, and their eggs were not distributed randomly over the different available hosts. When E. vuilleti females were introduced second, they oviposited on the different hosts availabe and did not avoid multiparasitism. The presence of hosts already parasitised by D. basalis increased the reproduction of E. vuilleti, and the fecundity of the females was higher than in control batches with E. vuilleti alone. E. vuilleti seems capable of detecting the ovipositor shafts drilled by the D. basalis females, and by introducing its own ovipositors killing the D. basalis eggs or larvae. When interspecific competition was occurring the number of E. vuilleti adults emerging from the seeds was no different from that observed in control batches with E. vuilleti alone, and there were always fewer D. basalis adults than in control batches (D. basalis alone). This interspecific competition reduces the influence of the two parasitoids in the biological control of bruchid populations.     

The oviposition behavior ofAphidius ervi andMonoctonus paulensis (Hymenoptera: Aphididae) encountering different host species (Homoptera: Aphididae) in sequential patches

Two-day-old mated females ofAphidius ervi Haliday andMonoctonus paulensis (Ashmead) were each provided with two sequential host patches. Patches were comprised of plastic petri dishes containing either 15 pea aphids,Acyrthosiphum pisum (Harris), or 15 alfalfa aphids,Macrosiphum creelii Davis. Both wasp species parasitized more hosts in patches containing pea aphids than in those containing alfalfa aphids, regardless of sequence. Females ofA. ervi also laid more eggs per aphid in patches containing pea aphids than in patches containing alfalfa aphids. When both patches contained alfalfa aphids,M. paulensis females parsitized more aphids in the second patch than in the first. Fewer alfalfa aphids were parasitized in the second patch when the first patch contained pea aphids, and fewer eggs were laid per alfalfa aphid. Parasitoid females of both species exhibited consistently higher rates of oviposition into their preferred host species and adjusted their reproductive allocation to hosts and host patches as a function of their experience in previous patches.     

Dispersal and parasitizing abilities of Eupelmus vuilleti (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) within a column of cowpea seeds

Eupelmus vuilleti (Crawford) is an ectoparasitoid of the seed-eating beetle Bruchidius atrolineatus (Pic), which is an important pest of stored cowpea, Vigna unguiculata Walp, seeds in West Africa. Herein, we investigated the dispersal abilities of females within columns of seeds to assess the potential of E. vuilleti as a biological control agent of bruchids in cowpea granaries. The influence of host presence together with the 2 abiotic factors light and gravity on parasitoid movement and parasitization efficiency were analyzed. E. vuilleti females were able to travel through large seed masses and parasitize hosts located at the end of the seed column opposed to their introduction zone. Parasitoid movement was stimulated by light. E. vuilleti females exhibited a negative geotropism. Females introduced at the bottom of the seed column dispersed more and parasitized more hosts than females introduced at the top. Host presence had some influence on the dispersal of the parasitoids within the seed column at a host density of 10 infested seeds for 16,000-18,000 uninfested seeds. This depended on female introduction zone because gravity was the major factor influencing dispersal. The possible applications of these results for biological control of bruchids in cowpea granaries are discussed.     

Reproductive capacity of females Eupelmus vuilleti (Eupelmidae) inseminated by hyperparasitoid males developed upon the primary parasitoid Dinarmus basalis (Pteromalidae)

Eupelmus vuilleti is a primary and solitary ectoparasitoid of the larval stages of Bruchids (Callosobruchus maculatus, Bruchidius atrolineatus). In a context of intense competition for healthy hosts, E. vuilleti displays ovicide and larvicide behaviours towards the Pteromalid D. basalis during its development (kleptoparasitism), and in an extreme expression of kleptoparasitism the E. vuilleti females hyperparasitize the final larval stage (L5 stage) of D. basalis. In this study, we compared the variability of reproductive success in males that had developed in the context of hyperparasitism to that in males that had developed on primary hosts. The adaptation capacity of the males when 24 h old was analysed in terms of their weight, of the quantity of spermatozoids stored in the seminal vesicles, of the quality of insemination determined from the quantity of spermatozoids stored in the spermatheca of the females after the first mating, and of the number of daughters produced. Adults of E. vuilleti, the larvae of which had developed as hyperparasitoids, are smaller than those that have developed on primary hosts, but they keep all the abilities required to parasite a population of primary hosts once the competitive pressure is reduced.     

Kairomone stimulates increased probes and host stings in a cleptoparasitoid

Abstract.  Eupelmus vuilleti acts as a cleptoparasitoid when encountering a host parasitized by Dinarmus basalis . The encounter of a parasitized host stimulates an increasing number of ovipositor probes directly above the parasitized host, an increasing number of host stings and the destruction of approximately 40% of the D. basalis eggs. The stimulation of ovipositor probes appears to be due to the detection of a stimulus that is different from the stimulus allowing interspecific host discrimination. It appears that a proteinacious substance produced by the D. basalis venom gland and deposited on the edge of the drilled hole induces probing behaviour of E. vuilleti .     

Egg-laying experience and acceptance of parasitized hosts by the parasitoid,Leptopilina heterotoma (Hymenoptera: Eucoilidae)

The influence of egg-laying experience on the response of females of the eucoilid parasitoid,Leptopilina heterotoma, to parasitized and unparasitizedDrosophila melanogaster host larvae was examined under more controlled conditions than those used in past studies. In laboratory assays, we precisely manipulated both the number of eggs laid by females and the kind of larvae (parasitized versus unparasitized) in which the eggs were laid. We found that the tendency to avoid laying eggs in parasitized hosts depended markedly on whether or not eggs had been laid previously, but depended little on whether those eggs had been laid in parasitized or unparasitized hosts. The observed effect of general egg-laying experience on avoidance of parasitized hosts may reflect responses to either changes in the wasp's internal state (perhaps, changes in egg load) or changes in the wasp's neural representation of the external environment (such as those presumed to occur during learning). In light of these results, we offer a tentative reinterpretation of several earlier studies.     

Intra- and interspecific host discrimination in two closely related egg parasitoids

Intraspecific host discrimination is frequently found in solitary parasitoids, but interspecific host discrimination, where female parasitoids recognize hosts already parasitized by females of other species, is rare. This particular behaviour appears to be adaptive only under specific circumstances. In this paper, we quantified intraspecific host discrimination in Anaphes n. sp. (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), an endoparasitoid of the eggs of Listronotus oregonensis (LeConte) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and interspecific host discrimination toward eggs parasitized by Anaphes sordidatus (Girault), a sympatric species competing for the same resource in similar habitats. To examine host discrimination, choice experiments were used where the females had to choose between different categories of eggs (unparasitized, parasitized by Anaphes n. sp. or A. sordidatus). Superparasitism and multiparasitism were avoided in experiments where the female had a choice between unparasitized hosts and hosts parasitized by the same female, by a conspecific or by a female A. sordidatus. When all hosts available were parasitized, conspecific superparasitism occurred more often than self-superparasitism or multiparasitism. These results indicated that females Anaphes n. sp. were capable of self-, conspecific and interspecific discrimination. Self-discrimination followed recognition of an external marking while interspecific discrimination occurred mostly after insertion of the ovipositor. Interspecific discrimination could result from the recent speciation of these species and could be associated with a genotypic discrimination. This behavior appears to be adaptive because of the competition for common hosts between the two parasitoid species.     

Host selection by the autoparasitoid Encarsia pergandiella on primary (Bemisia tabaci) and secondary (Eretmocerus mundus) hosts

In autoparasitoids, females are generally primary endoparasitoids of Hemiptera, while males are hyperparasitoids developing in or on conspecific females or other primary parasitoids. Female‐host acceptance can be influenced by extrinsic and/or intrinsic factors. In this paper, we are concerned with intrinsic factors such as nutritional status, mating status, etc. We observed the behavior of Encarsia pergandiella Howard (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) females when parasitizing primary (3rd instar larvae of Bemisia tabaci Gennadius [Homoptera: Aleyrodidae]) and secondary hosts (3rd instar larvae and pupae of Eretmocerus mundus Mercet [Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae]) for a period of 1 h. Females had different reproductive (virgin or mated younger) and physiological (fed elder or mated elder) status. Virgin females killed a large number of secondary hosts while investing a long time per host. However, they did not feed upon them. Mated females killed a lower number of secondary hosts and host feeding was observed in both consuming primary and secondary hosts. It was common to observe host examining females of all physiological statues tested repeatedly stinging the same hosts when parasitizing, killing or rejecting them. Fed elder females parasitized more B. tabaci larvae than E. mundus larvae or pupae, while investing less time on the primary host than on the secondary host. They also parasitized more B. tabaci larvae than mated elder females, while investing less time per host. The access of females to honey allowed them to lay more eggs.     

Interspecific competition betweenEupelmus vuilleti andDinarmus basalis, two solitary ectoparasitoids ofBruchidae larvae and pupae

Coexistence of two solitary ectoparasitoids of bruchids may be the result of counter-balanced competition. Some strategies in interspecific competition at the extrinsic level of female behaviour are identified.Dinarmus basalis (Rondani) (Hymenoptera; Pteromalidae) has adapted an evasion strategy to avoid competition. Females ofD. basalis show interspecific discrimination against hosts parasitized byEupelmus vuilleti Crawford (Hymenoptera; Eupelmidae) and lay fewer eggs in the presence of females or hosts parasitized by the latter.Eupelmus vuilleti has adapted an aggressive strategy. In contrast toD. basalis, E. vuilleti concentrates her ovipositions on hosts already parasitized byD. basalis. Females ofE. vuilleti preferably use oviposition holes made by other parasitoids, and are able to kill eggs and larvae ofD. basalis selectively by thrusts of their ovipositor (ovicide and larvicide). Furthermore,E. vuilleti can act as a facultative hyperparasitoid on older larvae ofD. basalis. The number ofE. vuilleti offspring is not affected by the presence ofD. basalis on a host. Our study does not provide insight in the process of larval competition.

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Résumé La coexistence de deux ectoparasito?des solitaires de Bruchidés peut resulter de compétition contrebalancée (Zw?lfer, 1971). Quelques stratégies en situation de compétition interspécifique ont été indentifiées au niveau (extrinsèque) du comportement de femelles.Dinarmus basalis (Rondani) (Hymenoptera; Pteromalidae) a développé une stratégie d'évitement de la compétition. Les femelles deD. basalis montrent une capacité à reconna?tre les h?tes parasités parEupelmus vuilleti Crawford (Hymenoptera; Eupelmidae), et pondent moins d'œufs en présence des femelles d'E. vuilleti ou des h?tes parsités par cette espèce.Eupelmus vuilleti a adapté une stratégie aggressive. Au contraire deD. basalis, E. vuilleti concentre sa ponte sur les h?tes déjà parasités parD. basalis. Les femelles d'E. vuilleti utilisent préférentiellement les orifices de ponte pratiqués par les autres parasito?des. Elles sont alors capables de tuer grace à l'ovipositeur les œufs et les larves deD. basalis (ovicide et larvicide). De plus,E. vuilleti est capable d'hyperparasiter les larves de dernier stade deD. basalis. Le nombre de descendants d'E. vuilleti n'est pas affecté par la présence deD. basalis sur un h?te. Notre étude expérimentale n'a pas permis l'étude du mécanisme de la compétition larvaire.

     

Behavioural and physiological responses to conflicting oviposition stimuli in a synovigenic parasitoid

The behavioural and physiological responses of the synovigenic parasitoid, Dinarmus basalis (Rond.) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), were investigated whilst the wasps were submitted to conflicting oviposition stimuli: an environment which induced them to restrict egg-laying and a physiological factor, egg-load pressure, which induced them to lay eggs. When individual females depleted patches containing hosts parasitized 24 h or 72 h beforehand, they laid preferentially on unparasitized hosts and the number of eggs laid decreased significantly. Although they remained for several days in such patches, egg-load pressure did not lead them to modify their strategy (i.e. to accept all the available hosts including the already parasitized ones). In this synovigenic species, the oviposition constraint resulted in the retention of oocytes. Dissection and histological observation showed that the unlaid eggs are resorbed, a reproductive regulatory process which has seldom previously been reported in the presence of unparasitized hosts. This physiological response was induced by the mere presence of the parasitized hosts rather than their density. The females’ response was also influenced by the presence of conspecifics. They still avoided laying on parasitized hosts but the number of eggs laid daily became comparable to that observed in patches containing only unparasitized hosts. Thus, D. basalis females adapted their strategy in response to their environment, in which the most significant factor seemed to be the quality of the hosts provided, and their physiology. The originality and the importance of these results are discussed.     

Does superparasitism improve host suitability for parasitoid development? A case study in the Microplitis rufiventris-Spodoptera littoralis system

Superparasitism refers to the oviposition behavior of parasitoid females who lay their eggs in an already parasitized host. Recent studies have shown that allocation of additional eggs to an already parasitized host may be beneficial under certain conditions. In the present work, mortality of Microplitis rufiventris wasps was significantly influenced by both host instar of Spodoptera littoralis larvae at parasitism and level of parasitism. In single parasitization, all host instars (first through sixth) were not equally suitable. Percentage of emergence success of wasp larvae was very high in parasitized first through third (highly suitable hosts), fell to 60% in the fourth instar (moderate suitable) and sharply decreased in the penultimate (5th) instars (marginally suitable). Singly parasitized sixth (last) instar hosts produced no wasp larvae (entirely unsuitable), pupated and eclosed to apparently normal adult moths. The scenario was different under superparasitism, whereas supernumerary individuals in the highly suitable hosts were almost always killed as first instars, superparasitization in unsuitable hosts (4th through 6th) had significant increase in number of emergence success of wasp larvae. Also, significantly greater number of parasitoid larvae successfully developed in unsuitable hosts containing three wasp eggs than counterparts containing two wasp eggs. Moreover, the development of surplus wasp larvae was siblicidal in earlier instars and nonsiblicidal gregarious one in the penultimate and last “sixth” instars. It is suggested that the optimal way for M. rufiventris to deal with high quality hosts (early instars) is to lay a single egg, while the optimal way to deal with low quality hosts (late instars) might be to superparasitize these hosts.     

Inter- and intra-specific host discrimination in gregarious and solitary endoparasitoid wasps

In nature, most species of Lepidoptera are attacked by parasitoids, and some species may be hosts for several parasitoid species. When hosts are parasitized by more than one female of the same species (=superparasitism) or females of different species (=multiparasitism), then intrinsic competition occurs for control of host resources. To reduce competition, some parasitoids are able to recognize the difference between parasitized and unparasitized hosts. Inter- and intra-specific host discrimination were investigated in the two sympatric species, the gregarious Cotesia kariyai (Watanabe) and solitary Meteorus pulchricornis (Wesmael), endoparasitoids of the Oriental armyworm Mythimna separata (Walker). To measure host discrimination, choice experiments were conducted in which females of both species foraged and chose between healthy host larvae and hosts initially parasitized by either C. kariyai or M. pulchricornis. An olfactory test was also performed to examine the discrimination behavior of the two parasitoids. Our results showed that, in oviposition choice tests, both braconid female wasps were able to discriminate between unparasitized hosts and from four to seven day-old hosts previously attacked by conspecific and heterospecific wasps. On the other hand, superparasitism and multiparasitism occurred even in host larvae that were parasitized two days earlier. However, once the immature parasitoids hosts are at larval stage (1st and 2nd instar), super- and multiparasitism were avoided in the two-choice test, but the latter often occurred in the multiple-choice experiment. Host discrimination abilities may have been based on plant volatile signals incurred from damaged plants and internal mechanisms from four to seven post-parasitized hosts.     

Behavioural plasticity in the stinging act of female ectoparasitoids

Abstract. The plasticity of the stinging behaviour of female Eupelmidae ( Eupelmus vuilleti Crawford, E. orientalis Crawford Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) was analysed through the interrelationships of a parasitic community living on larval stage of Callosobruchus maculatus Fabricius (Coleoptera: Bruchidae). In traditional African grainstores, Eupelmus females have at their disposal all the larval stages of their host. Their exploitation is revealed by the sting observed on the host caused by the ovipositor of parasitoid females. This stinging behaviour begins immediately on the adult female's emergence, and thereafter there is a daily increase in the number of hosts stung. Stinging activity is linked to the age of the available hosts, but not all of the hosts available are exploited by the two species studied. This absence of total exploitation could indicate a threshold of activity in the stinging acts which could be in part linked to the secretion activity of the poison glands of parasitoid female.
In females of E. vuilleti and E.orientalis the stinging act is usually associated with egg-laying. The relationship between stinging and egg-laying is stronger in more advanced larval stages of the host.
In the presence of parasitized hosts, females of E. orientalis and E.vuilleti can exhibit hyperparasitism. The majority of larvae (i.e. primary parasitoid) that have been hyperparasitized have been stung and a large number of them are completely inactive. However, E. vuilleti females deposited their eggs in the available space of the pupation chamber of the host. The neonatal larvae from these scattered eggs could exploit any available host without the female having 'prepared the ground' at the time of egg-laying.
In Eupelmidae, all this happens as if there were a complementary action between the females and the neonate which could, if necessary, reinforce and/or compensate for the deficiencies in the host exploitation by the female.     

Reproductive strategies under multiparasitism in natural populations of the parasitoid wasp Nasonia (Hymenoptera)

Parasitoid Nasonia wasps adjust their progeny sex ratio to the presence of conspecifics to optimize their fitness. Another trait under female control is the induction of offspring diapause. We analysed progeny sex ratios and the proportion of diapausing offspring of individual Nasonia females in host patches parasitized by two species, Nasonia vitripennis and Nasonia giraulti, in North American field populations using microsatellite fingerprinting. Both Nasonia species produced similar sex ratios on hosts that were co‐parasitized by their own species as by the other species, indicating that females do not distinguish between con‐ and heterospecific clutches. The sex ratios of the diapause and adult fractions of mixed broods from single females were not correlated. We found further indications that N. vitripennis females take the emergence time of the offspring into account in their sex allocation. The reproductive strategies of Nasonia under multiparasitism are largely adaptive, but also partially constrained by information.     

Effect of host deprivation on egg quality,egg load,and oviposition in a solitary parasitoid,Chetogena edwardsii (Diptera: Tachinidae)

Solitary parasitoids are limited to laying one egg per host because larvae compete within hosts. If host encounter rate is low, females should not increase the number of eggs/host in response. The tachinid fly, Chetogena edwardsii,was used to evaluate the effect of host deprivation on egg accumulation, oviposition behavior, and egg quality in a solitary parasitoid. Females deprived of hosts for 2– 7 days accumulate about 1 day's supply of eggs. Egg output of deprived females once hosts are restored does not differ from that of control females. Deprived females retain one egg in the uterus where it undergoes embryogenesis. Maggots emerging from retained eggs are more likely to survive in hosts molting in 40 h or less after receipt of an egg than are maggots emerging from eggs fertilized shortly before oviposition. Egg retention is a consequence of host deprivation that permits females to broaden the range of hosts they can exploit to include soon-to-molt hosts and possibly multiply parasitized hosts.     

Analysis of solitariness in a parasite—host system (Muscidifurax raptor,Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae—Ceratitis capitata,Diptera: Tephritidae)*

Abstract. 1. The behaviour of the parasite Muscidifurax raptor Girault and Sanders was studied when searching for hosts, puparia of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). At low density females tend to avoid encountering parasitized hosts. This tendency decreases as density of searching females increases. 2. The proportional avoidance of superparasitism was calculated and the effect of increasing number of encounters per host on this parameter was analysed. 3. The mechanisms of solitariness were studied. These mechanisms include: outer marking of the hosts by the female parasite and deliberate physical attack of the newly hatched larvae to eliminate as yet unhatched eggs. 4. In cases of intraspecific competition between larvae, young first or second instar larvae usually have the advantage over older larvae.     

Egg allocation of the autoparasitoid encarsia tricolor at different relative densities of the primary host (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) and two secondary hosts (Encarsia formosa and E. tricolor)

Parasitism, offspring sex ratio and superparasitism of the facultative autoparasitoid Encarsia tricolor Foërster (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) when given access to arenae with different proportions of the primary host (Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood)) and two species of secondary hosts (E. tricolor and Encarsia formosa Gahan) were studied.Parasitism and offspring sex ratio were not affected by female age in the range 3–10 days old. When the secondary hosts were young E. tricolor pupae, eggs were mostly laid on primary hosts, so the offspring sex ratio was more female-biased than expected, and secondary hosts were not superparasitized at all. When the secondary hosts were fully grown E. formosa larvae, superparasitism was small and offspring sex ratio was more male-biased than expected. E. tricolor females were able to discriminate between hosts previously parasitized by themselves and non-parasitized hosts.     

Host-searching behavior ofVenturia canescens (Grav.) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae): Superparasitism

The foraging behavior ofVenturia canescens, a solitary endoparasitoid of lepidopteran larvae, was investigated in the laboratory. FemaleVenturia canescens with a larger number of mature eggs to lay were found to have higher levels of superparasitism (measured as numbers of eggs laid per parasitized host). Increased parasitoid density was found to result in reduced levels of superparasitism by host-deprived (i.e.,undepleted) wasps. Females which had been allowed access to hosts before the experiment (depleted wasps) laid fewer eggs per parasitized host than undepleted wasps, although there was no significant difference in the levels of superparasitism among the depletion periods of 1, 2, 5, and 7 h. It was also found that an egg which was encountered less than 15 min after oviposition was much less likely to be avoided than one which was encountered after more than 15 min had elapsed.     

Development of a new attract‐and‐kill technology for Oriental fruit moth control using insecticide‐impregnated fabric

Various physiological effects of Wolbachia infection have been reported in invertebrates, but the impact of this infection on behavior and the consequences of these behavioral modifications on fitness have rarely been studied. Here, we investigate the effect of Wolbachia infection on the estimation of host nutritive resource quality in a parasitoid wasp. We compare decision‐making in uninfected and Wolbachia‐infected strains of Trichogramma brassicae Bezdenko (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) on patches containing either fresh or old host eggs. For both strains, fresh eggs were better hosts than older eggs, but the difference was smaller for the infected strain than for the uninfected strain. Oviposition behavior of uninfected wasps followed the predictions of optimal foraging theory. They behaved differently toward high‐ vs. low‐quality hosts, with more hosts visited and more ovipositions, fewer high‐quality hosts used for feeding or superparasitism, and a sex ratio that was more biased toward females in patches containing high‐quality hosts than in patches containing low‐quality ones. Uninfected wasps also displayed shorter acceptance and rejection times in high‐quality hosts than in hosts of lower quality. In contrast, infected wasps were less efficient in evaluating the nutritive quality of the host (fresh vs. old eggs) and had a reduced ability to discriminate between unparasitized and parasitized hosts. Furthermore, they needed more energy and therefore engaged in host feeding more often. This study highlights possible decision‐making manipulation by Wolbachia, and we discuss its consequences for Wolbachia fitness.