ELLER F. J., J. H. TUMLINSON, AND W. J. LEWIS. 1990. Intraspecific Competition in Microplitis croceipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a Parasitoid of Heliothis Species (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 83: 504-508.

ABSTRACT

Outcomes from intraspecific competition for the arrhenotokous parasitoid
Microplitis croceipes (Cresson) were determined using mated and unmated females. The
survival rate of progeny of a superparasitizing female is equal to that of the female ovipositing first when the two ovipositions occur on the same day. However, the survival rate of progeny of a superparasitizing female decreases with increased time between initial oviposition and superparasitization. There was IlO apparent intrinsic superiority of one sex of parasitoid larvae over the other in larval-larval competition. Protandry in M. croceipes is a result of accelerated pupal development of males, not accelerated larval development