Does each species of butterfly have it's own private species of wasp to itself, or are there some wasps that don't mind what type of butterfly they parasitise?
Or is it more complicated than that?
Danny
Wasp Question
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Pete Eeles
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Re: Wasp Question
HI Danny,
I don't think it's "one-to-one", but there are definitely ichneumen wasps that parasitise a particular species. the "Life in the Undergrowth" series has a superb section on parasitism of the Alcon Blue. Closer to home, a particular wasp (Apanteles glomeratus) parasitises the Large White and another (Listrodomus nycthemerus) the Holly Blue.
Cheers,
- Pete
I don't think it's "one-to-one", but there are definitely ichneumen wasps that parasitise a particular species. the "Life in the Undergrowth" series has a superb section on parasitism of the Alcon Blue. Closer to home, a particular wasp (Apanteles glomeratus) parasitises the Large White and another (Listrodomus nycthemerus) the Holly Blue.
Cheers,
- Pete
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