''Cotesia vestalis'' is a

parasitoid In evolutionary ecology, a parasitoid is an organism that lives in close association with its host (biology), host at the host's expense, eventually resulting in the death of the host. Parasitoidism is one of six major evolutionarily stable str ...

wasp A wasp is any insect of the narrow-waisted suborder Apocrita of the order Hymenoptera which is neither a bee nor an ant; this excludes the broad-waisted sawflies (Symphyta), which look somewhat like wasps, but are in a separate suborder ...

that appears to be able to detect

volatile organic compounds Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic compounds that have a high vapor pressure at room temperature. They are common and exist in a variety of settings and products, not limited to house mold, upholstered furniture, arts and crafts sup ...

emitted by the plant ''

Brassica oleracea ''Brassica oleracea'', also known as wild cabbage in its uncultivated form, is a plant of the family Brassicaceae. The species originated from feral populations of related plants in the Eastern Mediterranean, where it was most likely first cultiv ...

'' in response to

herbivore A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically evolved to feed on plants, especially upon vascular tissues such as foliage, fruits or seeds, as the main component of its diet. These more broadly also encompass animals that eat ...

damage, such as would be caused (for example) by heavy infestation with the wasp's host caterpillar ''

Plutella xylostella The diamondback moth (''Plutella xylostella''), sometimes called the cabbage moth, is a moth species of the family Plutellidae and genus '' Plutella''. The small, grayish-brown moth sometimes has a cream-colored band that forms a diamond along ...

''.

Diseases

''Cotesia vestalis'' suffers from a

polydnavirus ''Polydnaviriformidae'' ( PDV) is a family of insect viriforms; members are known as polydnaviruses. There are two genera in the family: '' Bracoform'' and '' Ichnoviriform''. Polydnaviruses form a symbiotic relationship with parasitoid wasps. ...

, '' Cotesia vestalis bracovirus''.

References

External links

YouTube video of ''C. vestalis'' attacking host caterpillars

Photograph of ''C. vestalis''
Microgastrinae Hymenoptera of Europe Biological pest control wasps Insects described in 1834 {{Ichneumonoidea-stub