1. Sib mating avoidance is a pervasive behaviour, which likely evolves in species that sare subject to inbreeding depression. Laboratory studies have provided elegant demonstrations, but small-scale bioassays often minimize the costs associated with mate finding and mate-choice and may for this reason produce spurious findings. 2. We inferred the mating behaviour of the parasitoid wasp Venturia...

Parasitoids of dried-fruit insects were surveyed at a culled fig warehouse in Fresno, CA. Three parasitoids of pyralid larvae were found: Habrobracon hebetor (Say), Venturia canescens (Gravenhorst), and at least one species in the genus Goniozus Förster. Two parasitoids of pyralid pupae also were noted: Mesostenus gracilis (Cresson) and a new species of Psilochalcis Keifer. The latter is a new ...

Parasitoids face challenges by switching between host species that influence survival and fitness, determine their role in structuring communities, influence species invasions, and affect their importance as biocontrol agents. In the generalist parasitoid, Venturia canescens (Gravenhorst) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), we investigated the costs in encapsulation, survival, and body size on juveni...

Keywords: cue mating system parasitoid sex pheromone signal Venturia canescens wind tunnel In many animals, mating takes place after natal dispersal. Consequently, use of reliable information is required to increase the probability of encounters between the sexes. Most of the studies on mate finding in parasitoid insects have focused on the role of a single information source: a sex pheromone. ...