Oviposition Behavior of Biosteres longicaudatus,1 a Parasite of the Caribbean Fruit Fly, Anastrepha suspensa2,3

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Abstract
Investigations were conducted on the oviposition behavior of Biosteres (=Opius) longicaudatus Ashmead, a solitary endoparasite of the Caribbean fruit fly Anastrepha suspensa (Loew), in order to determine the effects of: (1) oviposition frequency on the rate of egg maturation, and (2) host availability on oviposition rates and host discrimination (avoidance of superparasitization). Mated females with 72-h oviposition experience matured their eggs faster than those with 24-h experience. The avg number of eggs laid per female per day increased from 13.1±0.2 to 23.5±0.9 when the number of hosts provided was quadrupled. Egg distribution (determined by dissection of hosts) indicated that when 15 or more hosts were provided per female, the latter discriminated between healthy and parasitized hosts within 24 h of initial attack, and oviposited preferentially in healthy ones. Consequently, parasite progeny survival was high (>70%). When there were six hosts per female, superparasitization occurred and this resulted in very low (28.4%) parasite progeny survival.

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