TY - JOUR
T1 - The effect of different dietary sugars and honey on longevity and fecundity in two hyperparasitoid wasps.
AU - Harvey, J.A.
AU - Cloutier, J.
AU - Visser, B.
AU - Ellers, J.
AU - Wackers, F.L.
AU - Gols, G.J.Z.
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - In nature adult insects, such as parasitic wasps or 'parasitoids' often depend on supplemental nutritional sources, such as sugars and other carbohydrates, to maximize their life-expectancy and reproductive potential. These food resources are commonly obtained from animal secretions or plant exudates, including honeydew, fruit juices and both floral and extra-floral nectar. In addition to exogenous sources of nutrition, adult parasitoids obtain endogenous sources from their hosts through 'host-feeding' behavior, whereby blood is imbibed from the host. Resources obtained from the host contain lipids, proteins and sugars that are assumed to enhance longevity and/or fecundity. Here we conducted an experiment exploring the effects of naturally occurring sugars on longevity and fecundity in the solitary hyperparasitoids, . Lysibia nana and . Gelis agilis. Although both species are closely related, . L. nana does not host-feed whereas . G. agilis does. In a separate experiment, we compared reproduction and longevity in . G. agilis reared on either honey, a honey-sugar 'mimic', and glucose. Reproductive success and longevity in both hyperparasitoids varied significantly when fed on different sugars. However, only mannose- and water-fed wasps performed significantly more poorly than wasps fed on four other sugar types. . G. agilis females fed honey produced twice as many progeny as those reared on the honey-sugar mimic or on glucose, whereas female longevity was only reduced on the mimic mixture. This result shows not only that host feeding influences reproductive success in . G. agilis, but also that non-sugar constituents in honey do. The importance of non-sugar nutrients in honey on parasitoid reproduction is discussed. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.
AB - In nature adult insects, such as parasitic wasps or 'parasitoids' often depend on supplemental nutritional sources, such as sugars and other carbohydrates, to maximize their life-expectancy and reproductive potential. These food resources are commonly obtained from animal secretions or plant exudates, including honeydew, fruit juices and both floral and extra-floral nectar. In addition to exogenous sources of nutrition, adult parasitoids obtain endogenous sources from their hosts through 'host-feeding' behavior, whereby blood is imbibed from the host. Resources obtained from the host contain lipids, proteins and sugars that are assumed to enhance longevity and/or fecundity. Here we conducted an experiment exploring the effects of naturally occurring sugars on longevity and fecundity in the solitary hyperparasitoids, . Lysibia nana and . Gelis agilis. Although both species are closely related, . L. nana does not host-feed whereas . G. agilis does. In a separate experiment, we compared reproduction and longevity in . G. agilis reared on either honey, a honey-sugar 'mimic', and glucose. Reproductive success and longevity in both hyperparasitoids varied significantly when fed on different sugars. However, only mannose- and water-fed wasps performed significantly more poorly than wasps fed on four other sugar types. . G. agilis females fed honey produced twice as many progeny as those reared on the honey-sugar mimic or on glucose, whereas female longevity was only reduced on the mimic mixture. This result shows not only that host feeding influences reproductive success in . G. agilis, but also that non-sugar constituents in honey do. The importance of non-sugar nutrients in honey on parasitoid reproduction is discussed. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.
U2 - 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2012.03.002
DO - 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2012.03.002
M3 - Article
SN - 0022-1910
VL - 58
SP - 816
EP - 823
JO - Journal of Insect Physiology
JF - Journal of Insect Physiology
ER -