Provisioning and habitat selection by parasitoids in the Douglas Lake area.

Abstract

The order Hymenoptera has ants, bees, and wasps as some of its major representatives. Some species of wasps are referred to as parasitoids. Parasitoids reproduce and complete their growth inside a single host eventually killing them. The purpose of this study is to determine how parasitoids display preference in habitat and directional orientation for provisioning. We hypothesized that parasitoids will show a preference when placed in two different environments. This hypothesis is based on disturbance intensity and environmental conditions. Previous studies have concluded that unfavorable weather conditions have inverse effects on parasitoid foraging and provisioning. To test the hypothesis, 277 blocks with holes drilled in the end were strategically hung in trees in two different environments. A total of 136 blocks were placed in a wooded area while the remaining 139 blocks were placed in trees and small bushes along the shore of Douglas Lake, Pellston, Michigan. The blocks were collected five weeks later. The results showed that parasitoids do not show any preference for direction when provisioning for their young, but they do show great preference for the type of environment they provision in. There was a greater amount of provisioning in the less disturbed and less windy wooded area.