Figitid wasp - Callaspidia defonscolombei

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Figitid wasp - Callaspidia defonscolombei

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Bruce Williams Commander of the Wild Empire Registered: January 2007 Location: South Northants Posts: 3,290	Stockgrove Country Park, Beds. On fence bordering coniferous wood and meadowland. ... The unfortunate larva in this photo is a Syrphid (hoverfly). ... These insects are parasitoids, the eggs being laid inside the body of other insects allowing the larvae to feed and develop internally. ... See related forum thread: http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/fo...fly-larva.html and http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/fo...earchid=733198 ...
	· Date: Wed November 25, 2009 · Views: 1244 · Filesize: 72.8kb, 253.8kb · Dimensions: 1024 x 768 ·
	Additional Info
	Keywords: Figitid wasp Callaspidia defonscolombei Figitidae Aspicerinae Syrphid hoverfly larva
	Camera Information: Nikon D300 + 105mm macro VR
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Ian Gray

Commander of the Wild Empire

Registered: December 2006
Location: coventry
Posts: 1,068

Thu November 26, 2009 1:49pm

interesting lifestyle shot Bruce, well captured. Does the hoverfly larva survive this attack until the wasp larvae have no further use for it? I've read the related thread but it doesn't cover this question, although only one link seems to work correctly

Ian

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Bruce Williams

Commander of the Wild Empire

Registered: January 2007
Location: South Northants
Posts: 3,290

Thu November 26, 2009 4:02pm

Thanks Ian.

Based on an extract from the Ecological Entomology Journal: It appears that the female C. defonscolombei firstly locates aphid colonies from their odour. The species of hoverfly larva in this image is predatory on aphids (I have pics of that too). So by locating the aphids she also locates the hoverfly larva that are feeding on them. Apparently C. defonscolombei has a preference for larger larvae, attacking only 2nd and 3rd instar larvae. She first of all injects a temporary paralysing venom and then injects the egg.

From other sources.....It seems that the egg is oviposited into the brain of the host thus avoiding exposure to the hosts immune defence reaction. The parasitoid larva waited until the host spins its cocoon and then kills it (by consuming it I presume?) and then pupates itself. Finally it emerges from the host pupa as an adult.

Bruce

Ian Gray

Commander of the Wild Empire

Registered: December 2006
Location: coventry
Posts: 1,068

Thu November 26, 2009 6:12pm

a truly fascinating subject. Thanks very much Bruce for the informative response. It's a subject I know very little about.

Ian

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