Host Suitability and Sex Ratio in Two Strains of the Parasitoid Itoplectis naranyae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to assess whether two strains of the pupal parasitoid wasp Itoplectis naranyae could differ in offspring production and sex ratio. Galleria mellonella was used as a host. Galleria mellonella was highly suitable for the develpment of parasitoid offspring, and the percentages parasitoid emergence did not differ between the two strains, regardless of host size. Females of Kobe strain produced more female offspring than Tsukuba strain did. Factors that caused this sex-ratio difference were discussed.