Adaptive superparasitism and patch time allocation in solitary parasitoids : the influence of pre-patch experience

Summary Dynamic optimal diet models predict that host selection decisions and patch time allocation are influenced by the resource value of the habitat. We tested these predictions using the solitary' parasitoid Leptopilina heterotoma. Assuming that travel times between patches, the quality of previously visited patches and parasitoid density affect the parasitoids' estimation of the resource value of the habitat, different treatments were given before introducing parasitoids singly to a patch containing 5 unparasitized and 15 parasitized hosts. The decision to superparasitize is only slightly influenced by the rate of patch encounter. The quality of the previously visited patch has a strong influence. When a poor patch has been visited on the previous day, more superparasitism is observed in the partly depleted patch than when a rich patch has been searched. More superparasitism is also observed when the parasitoids are kept with conspecifics before the experiment than when they are kept alone. Increasing patch residence times are observed as the quality of the previously presented patch decreases. Host selection decisions and patch time allocation are thus clearly influenced by the pre-patch experience of the parasitoid, as predicted by dynamic optimal diet models. This can also explain why females that have never oviposited in unparasitized hosts will superparasitize readily. Correspondence to: M.E. Visser