Adult size and reproduction in the ectoparasitoid Agrothereutes lanceolatus Walker (Hym., Ichneumonidae)

The effects of adult male and female size on reproductive performance in Ag rothereutes lanceolatus Walker, a solitary ectoparasitoid of mature larvae and pupae of several pyralids and tortricids, were investigated. Females ha d a longer mean lifetime than males. Larger females lived longer, whereas t he size of males did not influence the longevity. The number of ovarioles p er female did not differ among females of different sizes but larger female s carried a greater number of mature and immature eggs. When presented with host cocoons, large females parasitized a higher percentage of hosts than small females. This was due to the fact that larger females accepted more h osts for oviposition whereas smaller ones rejected more hosts. Small and la rge females used equal numbers of hosts for host-feeding, suggesting that l arge females removed a greater amount of materials from single hosts throug h host-feeding.