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Methocha Anomala
''Methocha'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Thynnidae. The species of this genus are found worldwide except in Australia, and attack the larvae of tiger beetles. Females are wingless, and can be mistaken for ants, while males are winged. Biology Female ''Methocha'' actively hunt over the ground for burrows containing tiger beetle larvae, which are ambush predators; the wasp entices the beetle larva into attacking, evades being bitten, and quickly moves in and stings the larva in its vulnerable underside, paralyzing it. It then lays an egg on the immobile beetle larva, and the wasp larva consumes it.E.O. Wilson, D.J. Farish (1973) Predatory behaviour in the ant-like wasp ''Methocha stygia'' (Say) (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae). ''Animal Behaviour'' 21(2):292-295. DOI:10.1016/S0003-3472(73)80069-7 Species * ''Methocha alutacea'' Linnaeus * ''Methocha anomala'' Krombein * ''Methocha californica'' Westwood, 1881 * ''Methocha formosa'' Krombein, 1954 * ''Methocha ichneumo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Parasitoid
In evolutionary ecology, a parasitoid is an organism that lives in close association with its host (biology), host at the host's expense, eventually resulting in the death of the host. Parasitoidism is one of six major evolutionarily stable strategy, evolutionary strategies within parasitism, distinguished by the fatal prognosis for the host, which makes the strategy close to predation. Among parasitoids, strategies range from living inside the host (''endoparasitism''), allowing it to continue growing before emerging as an adult, to Paralysis, paralysing the host and living outside it (''ectoparasitism''). Hosts can include other parasitoids, resulting in hyperparasitism; in the case of oak galls, up to five levels of parasitism are possible. Some parasitoids Behavior-altering parasite, influence their host's behaviour in ways that favour the propagation of the parasitoid. Parasitoids are found in a variety of Taxon, taxa across the insect superorder Endopterygota, whose compl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
