Oviposition behavior of Anaphes iole, an egg parasitoid of Lygus hesperus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae; Heteroptera: Miridae)

Host searching and handling behavior of the egg parasitoid Anaphes iole Girault toward Lygus hesperus Knight eggs was observed in the laboratory on fresh green beans. The host eggs are embedded in plant tissues with only the egg cap exposed above the substrate. Three ethograms were developed to describe the behavior of female parasitoids toward healthy eggs, parasitized (marked) eggs, and host oviposition wounds not containing eggs. Females intensely antennated and probed 95% of healthy eggs and 42% of wounds. When oviposition occurred, females marked the host eggs externally and, if reencountered, briefly antennated and then rejected all marked eggs, thus preventing superparasitism. The time spent by parasitoids in each behavioral step when encountering healthy eggs, marked eggs, or wounds was compared. Behavior of naive (Ist egg encountered) versus experienced females (later eggs encountered) was also analyzed. Experienced females accepted and handled host eggs more rapidly compared with naive females.