Insect Pests of Fruit, Plantation, Medicinal & Aromatic Crops (2+1)

Types of Parasitism

• Parasitism is a relationship between two species in which one, the parasite, obtains its nutritional requirements from the body material of the other, the host.
• Simple parasitism: There is a single attack of the parasitoid on the host irrespective of the number of eggs laid. (eg) Parasierola nephantidis on Opisina arenosella.
• Super parasitism: Many individuals of the same species of the parasitoid attack a single host, (eg) Trichospilus pupivora on Opisina arenosella.
• Multiparasitism: Parasitism by different species of parasitoids on the same host at a time. (eg) Eriborus trochanteratus, Bracon brevicornis and Parasierola nephantidis attacking Opisina arenosella.
• Hyperparasitism: Parasitoids attacking another parasitoids. (eg) Pleurotropis sp. (Hyperparasitoid) on Bracon brevicornis (Primary parasitoid)
• Cleptoparasitism: Attack by a parasitoid on a host previously parasitized by another parasitoid. (eg) Eurytoma pini on Pine shoot moth
• Autoparasitism (Adelphoparasitims): A special type or parasitism in which the female develops as a primary parasitoid, but the male is a secondary parasitoid through females of its own species. (eg) Encarsia formosa a parasitoid of white fly.