Eur. J. Entomol. 90 (4): 429-434, 1993
A general approach to oviposition strategies in solitary parasitoids
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Foraging theory has largely concentrated on oviposition rate as the currency parasitoids use to maximize reproductive success. Female parasitoids foraging in a patchy environment face a variety of mortality risks that influence the survival of both themselves and their offspring. A foraging model is developed to suggest that patch residence times in parasitoids should be based on the trade-off between female and offspring mortality risks.
The fitness gain of parasitoids that include all mortality risks in their calculation of optimal patch residence time is then compared to the fitness gain of rate-maximizing females, and to the fitness gain of females that ignore offspring, mortality. It is shown that rate-maximizing foragers and foragers ignoring offspring mortality may suffer from substantial losses in fitness. The long-term average rate of eclosing adults produced and the lifetime number of eggs laid are therefore fitness currencies that are likely not to be selected for in insect parasitoids.
Keywords: Patch residence time, solitary parasitoids, mortality risks, fitness
Accepted: September 25, 1993; Published: December 30, 1993 Show citation
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