Eulophus wasp parasitoids photos and video

[Paul Iddon]

I found these on a caterpillar. Nature being nature, I doubt this one will pupate...



YouTube Video <<

Paul.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Amazing!

one can see the green monsters slurping a flow of sucked fluids from their free transport food truck!

 

[Paul Iddon]

Amazing!

one can see the green monsters slurping a flow of sucked fluids from their free transport food truck!

Thank you Asher. Pretty gruesome, almost vampiric...

Paul.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Now, theoretically, these parasitoid wasps can be used for pest control in agriculture.

However, some transgenic plants have been developed to have a protease inhibitor to protect it against insect pests with protease as part of their weapons of attack!

Unfortunately, then, those very transgenic plants could protect caterpillars against bio-control by them acquiring the plant protease inhibitor just by feeding in thr plant!

That protease inhibitor can, (at least in the lab), block the activity of the parasitoid wasp larvae protease so the caterpillars would then survive to likely pupate successfully!

Asher

 

[Paul Iddon]

An update the Eulophus wasp parasitoids - only 2 visible, 1 on the (now dead) caterpillar - and 1 has detached itself from the host.

Paul.

 

[Asher Kelman]

I wonder if there is some balance as to number of eggs laid. If there are too many for one caterpillar, then none of the parasitoids would have enough protein to develop fully!

Asher

 

[Paul Iddon]

I wonder if there is some balance as to number of eggs laid. If there are too many for one caterpillar, then none of the parasitoids would have enough protein to develop fully!

Asher

I do t think so, I have seen when researching up to a dozen or more on one host, so I think if it's lucky, it will be taken down sooner and less painfully...

Paul

 

[Asher Kelman]

Do they feel pain?

 

[Paul Iddon]

Unknown, but the way that caterpillar twitched in the first video, probably...

Paul.

 

[Paul Iddon]

The next stage from the Eulophus Wasp Parasitoids sequence... The detached one has developed what I assume may be (a dark brown) pre-cocoon area...

Paul.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Just consider, that the cascade of genes triggered in this process, perhaps has close matches in our own organization but the same or evolutionary diverged and modified genes control different processes!

Some switches, like for eyes, present or absent are conserved in fruit flies, mice and humans!!

Asher

 

[Jim Olson]

Those are amazing.

 

[Paul Iddon]

It's very interesting waiting to see what happens next...

Paul.