Parasitised aphid (Microlophium carnosum) on a nettle leaf, artwork. It has been parasitised by the endoparasitoid larva of a braconid wasp. The adult

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Parasitised aphid (Microlophium carnosum) on a nettle leaf, artwork. It has been parasitised by the endoparasitoid larva of a braconid wasp. The adult wasp lays it egg inside the aphid and the larva consumes its host. After the aphid is consumed its skin becomes indurated and forms a so-called 'mummy'. The larva exits the aphid and spins a cocoon beneath the abdomen, inside which it becomes a pupa. This is characteristic of the wasps Praon sp., Dyscritulus sp. and Protaphidus Endoparasitoid relationships are utilised in organic farming techniques as a form of biological pest control.

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Size: 3439px × 4920px
Photo credit: © DR KEITH WHEELER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: agricultural, agriculture, animal, aphid, aphid-parasitoidic, artwork, beneficial, biological, biology, carnosum, cocoon, control, cycle, dioica, drawing, dyscritulus, endoparasitoid, entomology, farming, fauna, illustration, insecta, invertebrate, invertebrates, larva, leaf, life, microlophium, mummy, nature, nettle, parasitising, parasitism, parasitoid, parastoidism, pest, plant, praon, primary, protaphidus, pupa, pupal, sp., stinging, urtica, wildlife, zoological, zoology