Studies of Parasite-Host Interaction Using Geographical Strains of the Blow Fly Phaenicia sericata1 and Its Parasite Nasonia vitripennis2,3

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Abstract
Phaenicia sericata (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) collected from widely separated areas (Florida; Kirkland Lake, Ontario; and New York) were used to measure the longevity and reproductive success of a laboratory strain of their parasite, Nasonia vitripennis(Walker) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). Parasite-host interaction experiments were conducted on either a group (simultaneous exposure of 10 female parasites to 50 hostpupae) or individual (1 female parasite on 10 hosts) basis. Group tests using 3-day-old parasites were run for 1-day periods in 2 consecutive generations, and in another experimenta group test was run for a 6-day period. Measurements of blow fly longevity, pupal survival, and pupal weights showed a similarity between the New York and Kirkland strains, but the Florida strain showed significantly lower longevity, pupal weight, and percent pupal survival. The longevity of the Florida strain increased in 7 generations indicating an adaptation to experimental conditions. The parasites were most productive on the New York and Ontario strains. The Florida strain produced the fewest parasites per host pupa in the group tests, but the most parasites per host in the individual tests where an excess of hosts was provided. Data were transformed to determine the weight of host biomass required in the production of an individual parasite. Parasites required significantly less host biomass from the Florida hosts than from the Ontario or New York strains. The possibility of using geographical host strains to study the evolution of interacting populations is discussed.
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