''Lysibia nana'' is a

hyperparasitoid A hyperparasite, also known as a metaparasite, is a parasite whose host, often an insect, is also a parasite, often specifically a parasitoid. Hyperparasites are found mainly among the wasp-waisted Apocrita within the Hymenoptera, and in two othe ...

wasp that attacks the

parasitoid wasp Parasitoid wasps are a large group of hymenopteran Superfamily (zoology), superfamilies, with all but the wood wasps (Orussoidea) being in the wasp-waisted Apocrita. As parasitoids, they lay their eggs on or in the bodies of other arthropods, ...

Cotesia glomerata ''Cotesia glomerata'', the white butterfly parasite, is a small parasitoid wasp belonging to family Braconidae. It was Species description, described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 publication 10th edition of Systema Naturae. Description The a ...

''. ''L. nana'' reproduces sexually and only infects hosts in the family

Braconidae The Braconidae are a family of parasitoid wasps. After the closely related Ichneumonidae, braconids make up the second-largest family in the order Hymenoptera, with about 17,000 recognized species and many thousands more undescribed. One analysis ...

. Adult females of this species do not feed from their host, but rather rely on sources of nectar in their environment. ''L. nana'' females find hosts by detecting chemical signals, such as

kairomone A kairomone is a semiochemical released by an organism that mediates interspecific interactions in a way that benefits a different species at the expense of the emitter. Derived from the Greek καιρός, meaning "''opportune moment""kairomon ...

s (usually intra-specific pheromones of the host) or herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) that are released by plants when they are attacked by

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 ...

s. Females are attracted to plants that have been attacked by caterpillars infected by ''C. glomerata''. Once a suitable host has been found, the ''L. nana'' female lays an egg in a ''C. glomerata'' larva.

References

Ichneumonidae Hyperparasites {{Ichneumonidae-stub