Improving parasitism success of a weakly virulent parasitoid strain.

Endoparasitoids possess a whole set of virulence factors to counter the immune response of their host, among which can be found venom, endosymbiotic viruses and ovarian proteins. Depending on the species, some factors are expected to be less necessary than others. Notably, venom is reported as inessential in some parasitoids bearing viruses.

Cellular dynamics of host - parasitoid interactions: Insights from the encapsulation process in a partially resistant host.

Cotesia typhae is an eastern African endoparasitoid braconid wasp that targets the larval stage of the lepidopteran stem borer, Sesamia nonagrioides, a maize crop pest in Europe. The French host population is partially resistant to the Makindu strain of the wasp, allowing its development in only 40% of the cases. Resistant larvae can encapsulate the parasitoid and survive the infection.