Effect of biotic factors on diapause of parasitic wasps

Key Words：parasitic wasps, diapause, biotic factors, host, parents

Abstract：       Host and parental factors are important influences on diapause in parasitic wasps. Various aspects of hosts, such as species, morph, physiological states and abundance, can affect the diapause of the wasps that parasitize them. Host species influences many aspects of wasps’diapause, including its occurrence, duration, the proportion of individuals that enter diapause and photoperiodic response. The influence of host morphs on diapause are most prominent in aphid parasitoids. The physiological state of the host and host abundance are also important factors affecting diapause in parasitic wasps. In addition, the photoperiod and temperature experienced by wasps’parents significantly affect diapause in their offspring. Differences between parental instars are the main reason for variation in parental factors. Prospects for research on, and application of, diapause in parasitic wasps are discussed.