The typical pattern in hymenopteran species is that females are produced from fertilized eggs but that males arise parthenogenetically from unfertilized eggs (arrhenotoky). In some species, however, unfertilized eggs can yield diploid female offspring through the process of thelytokous parthenogenesis. Indeed, it is puzzling why such asexual mutants have not outreproduced their sexual counterpa...

Wolbachia bacteria infect approximately 20% of all insect species, and cause a range of alterations to host reproduction, including imposition of thelytoky. The incidence and phenotypic impact of Wolbachia remains to be established in many insect taxa, and considerable research effort is currently focused on its association with particular reproductive modes and the relative importance of the v...

Three conditions are essential for evolution: variation, heredity and time. Most animal species transmit genetic information through sexual reproduction in order to meet the first two conditions. The consequence for sexual reproduction is the need for (at least) two sexes with different reproductive roles. Consequently, evolutionary issues arise, such as differences in morphological and behavio...

abstract parasitic insects face many decisions when foraging for host, some for example frequently have to make decisions with regard to staying in or leaving their current patch. in this study, we investigated how the foraging and oviposition behavior of lysiphlebus fabarum is influenced by (1) a female’s previous experience of encountering aphids host and (2) age of female parasitoids. to tes...