PARENT SESSION
Oral Session #23: Animal Ecology: Behavior and Sociobiology. Presiding: P. Brunkow.
Tuesday, August 7, 2001. 8:00 AM to 11:45 AM. Hall of Ideas E.
Indirect parasitization of ants by Eucharitidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea).
CAREY, BRYAN1, 1
ABSTRACT- Unlike most other known ant parasites, eucharitids do not directly oviposit into their hosts. Eggs are laid into plant tissues in the vicinity of foraging ants. The first instar of the wasp, a planidium, gains access into ant nests through phoretic transport on ants or via attachment to ant food items such as insect prey. Species of two Orasema species groups were compared which have differing modes of oviposition, presence or absence of an intermediate host association, and presumed method of ant nest entry.
KEY WORDS: ant parasites, Orasema simulatrix, Pheidole destorum, desert willow