Viruses can kill wasp larvae that grow inside infected caterpillars
When parasitic wasps come calling, some caterpillars have a surprising ally: a viral infection.
Insects called parasitoid wasps lay their eggs inside young moth larvae, turning the caterpillars into unwitting, destined-to-die incubators for possibly hundreds of wasp offspring. That’s bad news for viruses trying to use the caterpillars as replication factories. For the caterpillars, viral infections can be lethal, but their chances of survival are probably higher than if wasps choose them as a living nursery.
Now, a study shows how certain viruses can help caterpillars stymie parasitoid wasps.
When parasitic wasps come calling, some caterpillars have a surprising ally: a viral infection.
Insects called parasitoid wasps lay their eggs inside young moth larvae, turning the caterpillars into unwitting, destined-to-die incubators for possibly hundreds of wasp offspring. That’s bad news for viruses trying to use the caterpillars as replication factories. For the caterpillars, viral infections can be lethal, but their chances of survival are probably higher than if wasps choose them as a living nursery.
Now, a study shows how certain viruses can help caterpillars stymie parasitoid wasps.
