Evaluation of field propagation of Muscidifurax zaraptor (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) for control of flies associated with confined beef cattle.

The parasitic wasp Muscidifurax zaraptor Kogan & Legner was mass-reared in the field to control house flies, Musca domestica L., on two Nebraska beef cattle confinements. About 50,000 freeze-killed house fly pupae were exposed to a single release of M. zaraptor in the field. Placement of six additional cohorts of 50,000 freeze-killed pupae at the release sites at 2-wk intervals resulted in a mean parasite emergence of 56.4% over the study period. Mean fly mortality of 37.3 and 25.9% occurred in sentinel pupae placed around the perimeter of two release sites, compared with 3.9% for two control sites. We demonstrated a negative correlation between host reduction in sentinel cohorts and distances the cohorts were placed from parasite release sites. However, data indicated that other environmental factors also influenced the success of M. zaraptor in locating sentinel hosts. Correlation between mortality in sentinel pupae and numbers of parasites released was not evident. Temperatures above approximately 28 degrees C appeared to reduce the effectiveness of M. zaraptor.     

Production of Filth Fly Parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) on Fresh and on Freeze-killed and Stored House Fly Pupae

Laboratory experiments were performed to assess the effects of age, status (fresh versus freezekilled), and storage regime on the suitability of house fly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae) pupae as hosts for Muscidifurax raptor Girault & Saunders, M. raptorellus Kogan & Legner, M. zaraptor Kogan & Legner, Spalangia cameroni Perkins, Trichomalopsis sarcophagae (Gahan) and Urolepis rufipes (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). Production of all species was maximized on pupae aged 24 + h post-pupation. Fresh pupae could not be refrigerated at 10°C or less, or at 15°C without a significant decline in their suitability as hosts. Although production of S. cameroni was essentially limited to the use of fresh house fly pupae, M. raptor , M. raptorellus , M. zaraptor , T. sarcophagae and U. rufipes could be reared on either fresh or freeze-killed pupae stored at - 20 °C for up to 6 months prior to parasitism. The suitability of freeze-killed pupae declined during storage when used for production of male and female M. raptorellus and M. zaraptor , and possibly for male T. sarcophagae . No other effects of storage on parasitoid production were detected. These results suggest that insectaries can stockpile fly pupae in freezers during times of overproduction for future use in mass-rearing M. raptor, M. raptorellus, M. zaraptor, T. sarcophagae and U. rufipes as biocontrol agents of filth flies.     

Commercial and naturally occurring fly parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) as biological control agents of stable flies and house flies (Diptera: Muscidae) on California dairies

Filth fly parasites reared by commercial insectaries were released on two dairies (MO, DG) in southern California to determine their effect on populations of house flies, Musca domestica L., and stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.). Spalangia endius Walker, Muscidifurax raptorellus Kogan and Legner, and Muscidifurax zaraptor Kogan and Legner were released on the MO dairy from 1985 to 1987 in varying quantities. Parasitism by Muscidifurax zaraptor on the MO dairy was significantly higher (P less than 0.05) from the field-collected stable fly (4.4%) and house fly (12.5%) pupae, compared with a control dairy (0.1%, stable fly; 1.3%, house fly). Muscidifurax zaraptor, released from April through October during 1987 on the DG dairy (350,000 per month), was not recovered in a significantly higher proportion from either fly species relative to the corresponding control dairy. No specimens of Muscidifurax raptorellus were recovered from the MO dairy. Parasite treatments had no apparent effect on adult populations of either fly species or on overall parasitism rate of field-collected stable fly (16.8%, MO; 17.2%, DG) and house fly (23.3%, MO; 20.9%, DG) pupae. Spalangia spp. were the predominant parasites recovered from field-collected stable fly and house fly pupae on all four dairies. Sentinel house fly pupae placed in fly-breeding sites on both release dairies were parasitized at a significantly higher rate, as compared with sentinel pupae on control dairies. The generic composition of parasites emerging from sentinel house fly pupae was 20.6% Spalangia spp. and 73.2% Muscidifurax spp., whereas in field-collected house fly pupae, Spalangia spp. and Muscidifurax spp. constituted 74.3 and 19.6% of the parasites, respectively.     

以冷冻和新鲜家蝇蛹为寄主的蝇蛹俑小蜂实验种群生命表参数比较

【目的】为了阐明以冷冻保存家蝇Musca domestica蛹为寄主对繁殖蝇蛹俑小蜂Spalangia endius的影响。【方法】本研究分别利用新鲜和-20℃冷冻保存的家蝇蛹为寄主,记录了小蜂日存活数、日后代数量和性别等,并分别构建了实验种群生命表,分析比较了两种类型家蝇蛹对小蜂寄生率、日后代数量和性比、生命表参数等的影响。【结果】与新鲜家蝇蛹为寄主时相比,小蜂在以冷冻蛹为寄主时寄生率、后代数量和雄性百分比均较低（P<0.01）,成蜂寿命和产卵期差异不大（P>0.05）。在以新鲜和冷冻家蝇蛹为寄主时,小蜂寄生率和后代数量均随日龄的增加而显著降低（P<0.01）;以新鲜和冷冻家蝇蛹为寄主时小蜂的净生殖率（R₀）分别为34.91和20.16,种群内禀增长率（r_m）分别为0.17和0.11,均以寄生新鲜家蝇蛹时较大（P<0.01）;在以冷冻家蝇蛹为寄主时,世代时间和种群倍增时间较以新鲜家蝇蛹为寄主时有所延长（P<0.01）。【结论】蝇蛹俑小蜂可以利用冷冻家蝇蛹为寄主完成生活史;在规模化繁殖蝇蛹俑小蜂时,使用冷冻方式保存家蝇蛹的方法具有重要价值。     

Development of Spalangia cameroni and Muscidifurax raptor (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) on live house fly (Diptera: Muscidae) pupae and pupae killed by heat shock, irradiation, and cold

The objective of this study was to evaluate the suitability of killed house fly (Musca domestica L) pupae for production of two economically important pupal parasitoids. Two-day-old fly pupae were subjected to heat shock treatments of varying temperatures and durations in an oven at >or=70% RH; exposure to temperatures of 55 degrees C or higher for 15 min or longer resulted in 100% mortality. Exposure to 50 degrees C resulted in 40 and 91% mortality at 15 and 60 min, respectively. All (100%) pupae placed in a -80 degrees C freezer were killed after 10-min exposure; exposure times of <5 min resulted in <21% mortality. Progeny production of Spalangia cameroni Perkins and Muscidifurax raptor Girault and Sanders (Hymeoptera: Pteromalidae) from pupae killed by heat shock or 50 kR of gamma radiation was not significantly different from production on live hosts on the day when pupae were killed. Freeze-killed pupae produced 16% fewer S. cameroni than live pupae and an equivalent amount of M. raptor progeny on the day when pupae were killed. When killed pupae were stored in freezer bags at 4 degrees C for 4 mo, heat-killed, irradiated, and freeze-killed pupae remained as effective for production of M. raptor as live pupae. Production of S. cameroni on heat-killed and irradiated pupae was equal to parasitoid production on live pupae for up to 2 mo of storage, after which production on killed pupae declined to 63% of that observed with live pupae. Production of S. cameroni on freeze-killed pupae was 73-78% of production using live pupae during weeks 2-8 of storage and declined to 41 and 28% after 3 and 4 mo, respectively. Killing pupae by heat shock provides a simple and low-cost method for stockpiling high-quality hosts for mass-rearing both of these filth fly biological control agents.     

Parasitism of house fly (Musca domestica) pupae by four species of Pteromalidae (Hymenoptera): effects of host–parasitoid densities and host distribution

Parasitoid-induced mortality of house fly, Musca domestica L., pupae and parasitoid progeny emergence by four species of pteromalid parasitoids, Muscidifurax raptor Girault & Sanders, M.zaraptor Kogan & Legner, Spalangia cameroni Perkins and S.endius Walker, were determined for a 24 h exposure period using parasitoid: host ratios ranging from 1:2 to 1:50. When the number of parasitoids was held constant (n = 5) and the numbers of hosts varied, and when the number of hosts was held constant (n = 100) and the number of parasitoids varied, both the number of pupae killed per parasitoid and the number of parasitoid progeny per parasitoid increased with increasing parasitoid:host ratios to reach an upper limit asymptotically. Maximum values were, respectively: M.raptor (14.7, 11.1), M.zaraptor (12.3, 9.3), S.cameroni (16.9, 5.5), S.endius (14.8, 9.7) with no consistent effects attributed to parasitoid interference. For M.raptor and S.cameroni at parasitoid:host ratios of 1:10, the pupal mortality and progeny emergence were determined for a 24 h exposure period when hosts were distributed in poultry manure at four levels of aggregation ranging from clumped to uniform. Pupal mortality was least in clumped distributions, while parasitoid progeny emergence was not significantly different.     

Parasitization by pteromalid wasps (Hymenoptera) of freeze-killed house fly (Diptera: Muscidae) puparia at varying depths in media

Three laboratory experiments were performed to assess parasitization of freeze-killed house fly puparia, buried 0 to 6 cm in media, by Muscidifurax raptor Girault & Saunders, Muscidifurax raptorellus Kogan & Legner, Muscidifurax zaraptor Kogan & Legner, Trichomalopsis sarcophagae (Gahan) and Urolepis rufipes (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). Virtually no parasitization occurred at depths greater than 1 cm in large arenas (988 cm2) with densities of 0.3 puparia and 0.008 female parasitoids per cm2. Parasitization was observed at depths as great as 4 cm for three of five species in small arenas (3 cm2) with densities of 6.4 puparia and 1.0 female per cm2. Combined across experiments, M. raptor achieved the highest level of parasitization, followed by M. zaraptor, M. raptorellus, U. rufipes, and T. sarcophagae. The greatest number of F1 females was produced by the gregarious species T. sarcophagae (834 female female) and M. raptorellus (708 female female), and then by the solitary species M. raptor (530 female female), M. zaraptor (365 female female) and U. rufipes (163 female female). High parasitization by M. raptor and high production of offspring by T. sarcophagae identify these species as being particularly attractive as biological control agents.     

Temperature-dependent development and parasitism rates of four species of Pteromalidae (Hymenoptera) parasitoids of house fly (Musca domestica) pupae

Parasitoid development, parasitoid-induced host mortality and parasitoid progeny emergence were determined at five constant temperatures for Muscidifurax raptor Girault and Sanders, Muscidifurax zaraptor Kogan and Legner, Spalangia cameroni Perkins and Spalangia endius Walker using pupae of the house fly, Musca domestica L., as hosts. At temperatures of 20, 25, 30 and 35 degrees C the median development times (days from oviposition to adult emergence), respectively, were M. raptor (28.4, 20.7, 14.3, 14.5), M. zaraptor (30.6, 22.8, 14.1, 14.2), S. cameroni (55.6, 35.2, 21.8, 25.0) and S. endius (52.4, 31.5, 16.3, 14.6). All species failed to emerge at 15 degrees C. Using densities of five parasitoids and 100 hosts and a 24 h exposure period, Muscidifurax species oviposited at a greater rate over a wider range of temperatures than Spalangia species. At 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 degrees C the mean number of pupae killed per parasitoid were, respectively, M. raptor (1.4, 7.4, 10.5, 13.7, 14.1), M. zaraptor (0.0, 3.3, 8.9, 14.4, 15.0), S.cameroni (0.0, 7.8, 11.0, 11.9, 7.4), S.endius (0.6, 4.0, 7.5, 12.0, 11.7), and means of the number of parasitoid progeny per parasitoid were, respectively, M.raptor (0.2, 5.2, 7.9, 11.8, 11.6), M.zaraptor (1.3, 4.4, 8.2, 13.0, 13.7), S.cameroni (0.0, 2.4, 4.7, 5.1, 1.0), S.endius (0.0, 0.9, 3.4, 7.5, 4.9). Development and ovipositional activity in S.cameroni was strongly inhibited at 35 degrees C. The model by Sharpe & DeMichele (1977) was used to describe temperature-dependent development and the number of parasitoid progeny produced per parasitoid at temperatures of 15-30 degrees C in all species.     

Comparative Effectiveness of Three Release Rates for a Pteromalid Parasitoid (Hymenoptera) of House Flies (Diptera) in Beef Cattle Feedlots

Muscidifurax zaraptor Kogan and Legner (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) was released at three rates in nine beef cattle feedlots in eastern Nebraska to measure dosage response. Dosage response was measured by the percentage parasitism of sentinel house fly pupae. Releases were made from a single location near the center of the pen at three feedlots, from two locations within the pen at three feedlots, and from four corners of the pen at three feedlots. One-time releases initiated held propagation of M. zaraptor using freeze-killed house fly pupae as hosts. Three treatment rates, averaging 4480, 20,300, and 37,100 parasitoids, were released weekly over a 15-week period with each of the three release methods receiving a low, medium, or high treatment rate. All nine release sites produced significantly higher levels of parasitoid emergence and sentinel host mortality than sentinel hosts at two control facilities. The three sites receiving the high treatment rate averaged 38% host mortality, compared with 26% for the medium treatment rate and 17% for the low treatment rate. The two control sites averaged 2% host mortality. No significant differences could be detected in the number of release stations except at the four-station method using the low treatment rate. High temperatures during at least two of the weekly periods were detrimental to the released parasitoids.     

Influence of habitat and temperature on dispersal behaviour of two pteromalid parasitoids of houseflies during an inundative release at a dairy barn

1. About 11,000 each of Muscidifurax raptor Girault and Saunders and Urolepis rufipes (Ashmead) were released weekly for 7 weeks at a commercial dairy farm in central New York state, U.S.A. Dispersal behaviour was monitored by parasitism rates of house fly, Musca domestica L., pupae placed in sentinel bags. 2. M. raptor, which was released inside the barn, parasitized fly pupae both inside and outside, and it achieved highest rates of parasitism in indoor straw calf-bedding and in outdoor manure and silage. 3. U. rufipes, which was released outside the barn, did not attack pupae inside the barn, and its highest rates of parasitism occurred in outdoor manure and silage. 4. M. raptor appeared to be more effective than U. rufipes in parasitizing pupae located at sites where natural fly-breeding occurred. 5. Interspecific competition did not appear to explain these distribution patterns. 6. There was no significant trend in parasitism by M. raptor as a function of distance from the release station. Furthermore, high rates of parasitism near open doorways and at an outdoor site 30 m away suggests that M. raptor dispersed throughout the barn and its immediate surroundings. 7. Air temperature was positively correlated to flight activity, but not to parasitization activity in natural fly-breeding substrates.     

家蝇蛹和果蝇蛹繁育的蝇蛹金小蜂对果蝇蛹的寄生比较

【目的】蝇蛹金小蜂Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae(Rondani)是杨梅园等果园果蝇类害虫蛹期常见寄生蜂种类,在对果蝇类害虫的生物防治上具有重要价值。本文旨在探讨使用家蝇蝇蛹为替代寄主繁育蝇蛹金小蜂的方法。【方法】探讨分别以家蝇蛹和果蝇蛹繁育的蝇蛹金小蜂对家蝇和果蝇蝇蛹的选择性,并比较了在两种寄主上繁育的蝇蛹金小蜂在大小、寿命、产卵期、后代产量和性比等方面的差异。【结果】结果表明与果蝇蛹相比,家蝇蛹明显较大,在家蝇蛹上发育的蝇蛹金小蜂后代个体也明显较大;家蝇蛹和果蝇蛹发育的寄生蜂雌蜂寿命为(13.4±4.11)和(3.94±2.49)d、产卵期分别为(11.4±4.11)和(3.13±2.42)d、单头雌蜂后代雌蜂数量分别为(34.31±31.83)和(7.88±3.58)头,在家蝇蛹上繁育的寄生蜂明显具有较长的寿命和产卵期、更多的雌雄蜂后代数量;在对家蝇蛹和果蝇蛹的选择上,繁育自家蝇和果蝇的蝇蛹金小蜂雌蜂选择频率的差异不大。【结论】利用家蝇蛹繁殖的蝇蛹金小蜂在寄生果蝇蛹时具有更大优势,在繁殖蝇蛹金小蜂控制杨梅园等果蝇的为害时,可以选择家蝇蛹作为替代寄主。     

Suitability of heat- and freeze-killed oothecae of the American cockroach (Dictyoptera: Blattidae) as hosts for an oothecal parasitoid, Aprostocetus hagenowii (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the suitability of heat- and freeze-killed oothecae of Periplaneta americana (L.) (Dictyoptera: Blattidae) as hosts for parasitoid Aprostocetus hagenowii (Ratzeburg) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). The oothecae were subjected to -20, 45, 48, 50, and 55 degrees C at different exposure times (15, 30, 45, and 60 min). The effects of heat- and freeze-killed oothecae on several biological parameters (e.g., parasitism and emergence rates, developmental times, progeny number, and sex ratio) ofA. hagenowii were determined. Embryonic development of 2-d-old oothecae was terminated by either freezing at -20 degrees C or heating at > or = 48 degrees C for > or =30 min. A. hagenowii parasitized live oothecae as well as both heat- and freeze-killed oothecae. Percentage parasitism, emergence rates, and developmental times ofA. hagenowii in both heat- and freeze-killed oothecae were not significantly different from those of the live oothecae. Both heating and freezing did not influence progeny number (male and female) and sex ratio of A. hagenowii emerged from killed oothecae.     

Nutritional ecology of the interaction between larvae of the gregarious ectoparasitoid, Muscidifurax raptorellus (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), and their pupal host, Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae)

In this study we examined the relationship between clutch size and parasitoid development of Muscidifurax raptorellus (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), a gregarious idiobiont attacking pupae of the housefly, Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae). Host quality was controlled in the experiments by presenting female parasitoids with hosts of similar size and age. This is the first study to monitor the development of a gregarious idiobiont parasitoid throughout the course of parasitism. Most female wasps laid clutches of one to four eggs per host, although some hosts contained eight or more parasitoid larvae. In both sexes, parasitoids completed development more rapidly, but emerging adult wasp size decreased as parasitoid load increased. Furthermore, the size variability of eclosing parasitoid siblings of the same sex increased with clutch size. Irrespective of clutch size, parasitoids began feeding and growing rapidly soon after eclosion from the egg and this continued until pupation. However, parasitoids in hosts containing five or more parasitoid larvae pupated one day earlier than hosts containing one to four larvae. The results are discussed in relation to adaptive patterns of host utilization by gregarious idiobiont and koinobiont parasitoids.     

Assessment of Ceratitis capitata (Diptera,Tephritidae) pupae killed by heat or cold as hosts for rearing Spalangia cameroni (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)

In this work, we study the suitability of using dead medfly Ceratitis capitata pupae, killed by heat- or cold-shock, for the mass rearing of Spalangia cameroni, a pupal parasitoid of key pests. 100% mortality of medfly pupae could be accomplished with cold-shock at –20°C for 60 min or with heat-shock at 55°C for 30 min. Neither parasitism percentage nor sex ratio of the offspring differed significantly among heat-shocked, cold-shocked and untreated pupae. In addition, there was no significant difference in the percentage of parasitoids that aborted (♂♂ or ♀♀) among pupal treatments. Some of the pupae were covered with peat because the third larval instar of the medfly buries itself before pupation. However, the buried pupae were not parasitised at a greater or lesser rate than those not covered with peat. The percentage of parasitism was also unaffected by whether the pupae had been killed recently or had been stored at between 4°C and 6°C over 15 or 30 days. The use of dead hosts and later storage permitted the following: (a) the use of hosts over long periods of time; (b) a rapid increase in parasitoid numbers and (c) the availability of pupae killed at the most suitable postpupation times for the production of parasitoids. Furthermore, in biological control projects, the use of dead parasitised pupae in the field avoids the risk of enhancing the pest and allows an increase in parasitism in the field through the use of pupae treated with cold- or heat-shock.     

寄主大小及寄生顺序对蝇蛹佣小蜂寄生策略的影响

寄主大小模型认为寄生蜂后代性比与寄主大小相关,寄生蜂倾向于在大寄主上产出更多雌性后代,在小寄主上产出更多雄性后代.探讨了以家蝇蛹为寄主时,蝇蛹佣小蜂后代产量和性比变化;单次寄生情况下,寄主大小及寄生顺序对寄生蜂后代性比等影响.结果表明,蝇蛹佣小蜂的产卵期为(8.93±3.34)d,单头雌蜂能产雌性后代(34.11±16.34)头和雄性后代(11.04±8.87)头,且雄性百分比为0.24±0.11.随成蜂日龄的增大,寄生蜂产生雄性后代的比率显著增加.蝇蛹佣小蜂在寄生家蝇蛹时,会优先选择寄生个体较大的蛹;在单次寄生的情况下,蝇蛹佣小蜂倾向于在较大的家蝇蛹内产出更多的雌性后代.     

On understanding seasonal increases in damselfly defence and resistance against ectoparasitic mites

Abstract.  1. Defence against parasites and pathogens can be essential, yet not all hosts respond similarly to parasitic challenge. Environmental conditions are thought to explain variation in host responses to parasites.
2.  Lestes forcipatus damselflies emerging later in the season have shown higher resistance to the mite, Arrenurus planus , than hosts emerging earlier. This study was undertaken to determine whether variation in environmental temperatures characteristic of early vs. late emergence times, degree or costs of mite parasitism, and/or size of newly emerged adults could explain seasonal variation in defence and resistance to ectoparasitic mites.
3. In this study damselflies from early vs. late emergence groups differed in size at emergence and mite intensity. In general, early hosts were larger and had more mites than later hosts. However only experimental temperatures experienced by damselflies at emergence influenced defence and resistance against mites and not host size or degree of parasitism.
4. More specifically, hosts from early and late emergence groups did not differ in defence and resistance when held at the same temperatures in incubators. Housing at a high temperature, indicative of later in the season, was associated with higher defence and resistance for damselflies from both early and late emergence groups.
5. These results indicate that daily temperatures in relation to emergence timing can account for seasonal increases in resistance for this temperate insect. Seasonal increases in resistance may be expected for other temperate insect–parasite associations and should have important implications for the phenology of parasites and for seasonal variation in parasite-mediated selection.     

Studies on an overwintering population of the mushroom phorid Megaselia halterata (Diptera: Phoridae) parasitized by Howardula husseyi (Nematoda: Allantonematidae)

An overwintering population of the mushroom phorid fly Megaselia halterata parasitized by Howardula husseyi was studied in an attempt to explain the winter decline in incidence of parasitism that has been observed in flies from mushroom farms. Fly larvae from eggs hatching in November developed into pupae in December and flies emerged in May. No selective mortality of parasitized specimens of larvae, pupae, or flies was observed. Dead parasites were found in only 10% of parasitized flies. The incidence of parasitism in the emerging flies (50%) was five times that of their parental generation and although parasitism significantly delayed fly emergence the delay was only 2–3 days. There was no evidence of winter decline in parasitism; instead there was strong evidence that parasitism enhanced phorid survival through the winter.     

Personality of hosts and their brood parasites

Brood parasites such as the common cuckoo Cuculus canorus exploit the parental abilities of their hosts, hosts avoid brood parasitism and predation by showing specific behavior such as loss of feathers, emission of fear screams and contact calls, displaying wriggle behavior to avoid hosts or potential prey, pecking at hosts and prey, and expressing tonic immobility (showing behavior like feigning death or rapid escape from predators and brood parasites). These aspects of escape behavior are consistent for individuals but also among sites, seasons, and years. Escape behavior expressed in response to a broad range of cuckoo hosts and prey are consistently used against capture by humans, but also hosts and brood parasites and predators and their prey. An interspecific comparative phylogenetic analysis of escape behavior by hosts and their brood parasites and prey and their predators revealed evidence of consistent behavior when encountering potential parasites or predators. We hypothesize that personality axes such as those ranging from fearfulness to being bold, and from neophobic to curiosity response in brood parasites constitute important components of defense against brood parasitism that reduces the overall risk of parasitism.     

The ability of selected pupal parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) to locate stable fly hosts in a soiled equine bedding substrate

The ability of Spalangia cameroni Perkins, Spalangia endius Walker, and Muscidifurax raptorellus Kogan and Legner to locate and attack stable fly hosts was evaluated under laboratory conditions. Postfeeding third-instar stable fly larvae were released and allowed to pupate in two arena types: large 4.8 liter chambers containing a field-collected, soiled equine bedding substrate; or 120-ml plastic cups containing wood chips. At the time of fly pupariation, parasitoids were released and permitted 72 h to locate and attack hosts. On average, parasitism rates of freely accessible stable fly pupae in cups were not significantly different between parasitoid species. However, parasitism rates in chambers containing either Spalangia spp. were ≈50-fold more than M. raptorellus. Additional intraspecies analysis revealed that parasitism rates both by S. cameroni and S. endius were not significantly different when pupae were freely accessible or within bedding, whereas M. raptorellus attacked significantly more pupae in cups than in the larger chambers where hosts were distributed within bedding. These results suggest that Spalangia spp. are more suited to successfully locate and attack hosts in habitats created by equine husbandry in Florida. Therefore, commercially available parasitoid mixtures containing Muscidifurax spp. may be ineffective if used as a control measure at Florida equine facilities.     

Resetting our expectations for parasites and their effects on species interactions: a meta-analysis

Despite the ubiquitous nature of parasitism, how parasitism alters the outcome of host–species interactions such as competition, mutualism and predation remains unknown. Using a phylogenetically informed meta-analysis of 154 studies, we examined how the mean and variance in the outcomes of species interactions differed between parasitized and non-parasitized hosts. Overall, parasitism did not significantly affect the mean or variance of host–species interaction outcomes, nor did the shared evolutionary histories of hosts and parasites have an effect. Instead, there was considerable variation in outcomes, ranging from strongly detrimental to strongly beneficial for infected hosts. Trophically-transmitted parasites increased the negative effects of predation, parasites increased and decreased the negative effects of interspecific competition for parasitized and non-parasitized heterospecifics, respectively, and parasites had particularly strong negative effects on host species interactions in freshwater and marine habitats, yet were beneficial in terrestrial environments. Our results illuminate the diverse ways in which parasites modify critical linkages in ecological networks, implying that whether the cumulative effects of parasitism are considered detrimental depends not only on the interactions between hosts and their parasites but also on the many other interactions that hosts experience.