7 spot ladybird with parasitic wasp cocoon DSCF7766

The parasitic wasp pupae underneath this ladybird may be from the parasitic wasp species Dinocampus coccinellae

Dinocampus and Perilitus appear to be one and the same

Perilitus coccinellae (Braconidae: Euphorinae) is a koinobiont parasite, except this is an parthenogenic endoparasitoid of adult ladybird beetles. The wasp stalks a suitable ladybird before thrusting its ovipositor between the host's abdominal plates and laying a single egg inside. When the egg hatches the first job for the larva is to eliminate any competition. It is equipped with large, pointed mandibles and it uses these to stab other parasitoid eggs and larvae. Soon after this is will shed its skin revealing mouthparts suitable for eating the host. During development the larva takes very great care not to eat any of the ladybird's vital organs - in fact it seems to limit itself to the ladybird's fat store and gonads. When it is ready to pupate, it uses its mandibles to cut each of the six motor-neurones that control movement in the ladybird's legs before breaking out of the host's abdomen and spins a cocoon between the host's legs. This may seem strange behaviour but the wasp actually wants the ladybird to stand sentry over the cocoon. The ladybird can't move but it is still alive so the bright warning colours and reflex bleeding that once protected the ladybird from predators will now protect the wasp. Eventually the wasp hatches and flies off to find another ladybird leaving the host to starve.

info from chrisraper.org.uk

Adaptive preferential selection of female coccinellid hosts by the parasitoid wasp Dinocampus coccinellae PDF

more info can be found at group discussion

Taken on: May 2, 2007

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Camera: Fujifilm FinePix S9500, f/2.8, 1/38 sec, 6.2mm, ISO 200 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePix S9500
Aperture:	f/2.8
Exposure Time:	0.026 sec (1/38)
Focal Length:	6.2mm
ISO:	200
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Spot
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0 Windows
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