Question

Despite the best efforts of scientists to create an all-encompassing system of names for relationships between organisms, some still fall in a grey area. Some species of wasp are known as "parasitoids" and not true parasites. These wasps kill caterpillars to reproduce but do not harm any other caterpillars until they need to reproduce again. Why aren't these wasps considered true parasites?

Answer 1

Answer:

Wasps only use the caterpillars when producing offspring which kills the caterpillars.

Explanation:

'True parasites' are generally defined as organisms which live off 'host' organisms of another species at the expense of that organism by harming them in some way. They do this in a variety of ways for different reasons, the most common ones being as a source of food or favorable living conditions. Their lives are almost always entirely dependent on their host. Conventional parasites also usually don't kill their hosts as it is in their best interest that their host stays alive for them to gain the most advantage from them.

Wasps do not fit the true definition of a parasite because:

1. They don't rely on living off the caterpillars to live normally. Wasps are able to find their own sources of food and live on their own without other species. It is only when reproducing that they use and harm the caterpillars.

2. This process kills the caterpillars as the wasp larvae eat them when they emerge and grow which is unconventional for parasites.

It is because of these exceptions that these wasps are classified as 'parasitoids' and not conventional parasites.

Note: Wasps like these have been introduced many times because of this symbiotic relationship they have to help control caterpillar populations.

Hope this helped!

Answer 2

Answer:

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'Parasitic Wasps' are not actually parasites - they are parasitoids. This is because a true parasite is something that lives at the expense of its host but doesn't actually kill it, whereas parasitoids nearly always kill their host. In general though most people still use the term 'Parasitic Wasps'.

Hope it Helps!

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