Parasitoids face many behavioural decisions

Should eggs be laid in a particular host?

How many eggs should be laid per host (clutch size)?

Should eggs be laid in a host that has previously be parasitised by another female (superparasitism)?

How can a male best obtain mates?

 

There are many types of parasitoid
 

Some parasitoids attack mealy bugs on potatoes

 

Other parasitoids attack leaf miners

 

Some parasitoids lay male and female eggs in different types of host (autoparasitism)

 
 

Some parasitoids are solitary with only wasp developing per host

 

Population dynamics
 

Parasitoids may mediate competition between different host species (apparent competition)

 

Parasitoid population dynamics can be understood with theoretical modelling