Factors influencing provisioning sites of parasitic Hymenoptera.

Abstract

There has been a considerable amount of effort in understanding the dynamics of parasitoid-host interactions. Parasitic Hymenoptera are numerous, diverse, economically important, and ecologically signficant throughout the world, but there is not very much known about the community structure, geographic range, environmental requirements, host specificity, and behavior of most species. The goal for this experiment was to investigate some factors that these parasitoids use in selecting provisioning sites. This experiment was designed to test factors including habitat preference, hole size, and directional positioning by using wooden blocks as artificial substrates. Two hundred seventy-seven sticks measuring 6 x 3/4 x 3/4 inches with holes drilled through the longitudinal center were evenly placed along the edge of Douglas Lake, Cheboygan County, Michigan and along the hilltop of UMBS. These sticks were placed in three different directions, North - South, East - West, and vertical to test if directional positioning was a factor in provisioning preference. Our results showed that there was a significant preference for provisioning sites in the wood's-edge location, but there was no statistical significance in provisioning preferences for directional positioning or hole size within the substrate. This data agrees with past research stating that parasitic hymenoptera prefer less windy and less wet habitats. This study should be used as a foundation for future research in the area on parasitoid provisioning sites because there are several ways in which this experiment can be improved in the future.