A male-killing Spiroplasma endosymbiont has age-mediated impacts on Drosophila endurance and sleep.

Endosymbiotic bacteria have a wide range of impacts on host physiology, behavior, metabolism, endurance, and mobility. Recent work found some endosymbionts also impact host sleep duration and quality. These effects may increase as flies age and endosymbiont titers increase.

Parasites and the ecology of fear: Nonconsumptive effects of ectoparasites on larvae reduce growth in simulated populations.

Predators negatively affect prey outside of direct attack, and these nonconsumptive effects (NCEs) may cause over half the impacts of predators on prey populations. This "ecology of fear" framework has been extended to host-parasite interactions. The NCEs of parasites are thought to be small relative to those of predators.

Ectoparasitic mites exert non-consumptive effects on the larvae of a fruit fly host.

The mere presence of predators or parasites can negatively impact the fitness of prey or hosts. Exposure to predators during an organism's development can have deleterious effects on juvenile survival and the subsequent adult stage. Currently, it is unknown if parasites have analogous impacts on host larval stages and whether these effects carry over into other subsequent life stages.

Parasite preferences for large host body size can drive overdispersion in a fly-mite association.

Body size generally correlates intraspecifically with insect fitness but can also correlate with parasite abundance (number of parasites). Host preferences by parasites, and variation in host immunity, could contribute to this trend. We investigated the effect of host size on mite-fly interactions (Macrocheles subbadius and Drosophila nigrospiracula).

Relative contributions of parasite consumptive and non-consumptive effects to host population suppression in simulated fly-mite populations.

The "ecology of fear" framework was developed to describe the impacts predators have on potential prey and prey populations, outside of consumption/predation (i.e. non-consumptive effects, NCEs).

Scared of the dark? Phototaxis as behavioural immunity in a host-parasite system.

Behavioural immunity describes suites of behaviours hosts use to minimize the risks of infection by parasites/pathogens. Research has focused primarily on the evasion and physical removal of infectious stages, as well as behavioural fever. However, other behaviours affect infection risk while carrying ecologically significant trade-offs.

Endosymbiotic Male-Killing Affects the Physiological and Behavioral Ecology of - Interactions.

While many arthropod endosymbionts are vertically transmitted, phylogenetic studies reveal repeated introductions of hemolymph-dwelling into . Introductions are often attributed to horizontal transmission via ectoparasite vectors. Here, we test if mites () prefer to infect Spiroplasma poulsonii MSRO ( sex ratio organism)-infected flies and if MSRO infection impairs fly resistance against secondary mite attack.

Trade-offs between reproduction and behavioural resistance against ectoparasite infection.

Reproduction is a key determinant of organismal fitness, but organisms almost always face the threat of parasite infection. Thus, potential trade-offs between mating and parasite resistance may have substantial impacts on the ecology and evolution of host species. Although trade-offs between microbial resistance and mating in arthropods are well-documented, there is a paucity of evidence that mating compromises host resistance to the ubiquitous threat posed by ectoparasites.

Ecology of fear: environment-dependent parasite avoidance among ovipositing .

Habitat avoidance is an anti-parasite behaviour exhibited by at-risk hosts that can minimize exposure to parasites. Because environments are often heterogeneous, host decision-making with regards to habitat use may be affected by the presence of parasites and habitat quality simultaneously. In this study we examine how the ovipositing behaviour of a cactiphilic fruit fly, Drosophila nigrospiracula, is affected by the presence of an ectoparasitic mite, Macrocheles subbadius, in conjunction with other environmental factors - specifically the presence or absence of conspecific eggs and host plant tissue.

Host Respiration Rate and Injury-Derived Cues Drive Host Preference by an Ectoparasite of Fruit Flies.

Host bioenergetics and energy fluxes can be applied to measure the ecological and physiological effects of parasitism. By measuring changes in host metabolic rate, one can estimate the physiological costs of infection. Additionally, metabolic rate dictates the rate of resource conversion within a host and, by extension, the resources available to a parasite.

Proximity to parasites reduces host fitness independent of infection in a Drosophila-Macrocheles system.

Parasites are known to have direct negative effects on host fitness; however, the indirect effects of parasitism on host fitness sans infection are less well understood. Hosts undergo behavioural and physiological changes when in proximity to parasites. Yet, there is little experimental evidence showing that these changes lead to long-term decreases in host fitness.

Mitey Costly: Energetic Costs of Parasite Avoidance and Infection.

Parasites reduce host fitness via perturbations to host energy allocation, growth, survival, and reproduction. Here, we investigate the independent effects of parasite exposure and infection on host metabolic rate. Our study focuses on Drosophila hydei and a naturally occurring ectoparasitic mite, Macrocheles muscaedomesticae.