The Effect of Two Host Species on the Longevity and Fertility of Nasonia vitripennis1,2

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Abstract
The pteromalid wasp Nasonia vitripennis (Walker) maintained a different population density on 2 host species, the house fly, Musca domestica L., and the blow fly Phaenicia sericata (Meigen). This study showed that the longevity of an adult female parasitoid is significantly influenced by the species of host on which it is feeding and the species of host on which it was raised as a larva. Progeny production was also influenced by the species of host on which the wasp fed as a larva and as an adult. The difference in production of wasps on house flies raised on different food media was insignificant in comparison with the differences expressed on different species of host. Results of a large number of independent tests confirmed that average longevity and progeny production are less on the house fly than on the blow fly. It is apparent that the nutritional value of the host species is a factor which must be considered in any population study of a parasitoid wasp.

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