Table 1 Definitions and categories of behaviour displayed by female E. nassaui with or without a conspecific competitor present
Category | Behaviour | Definition |
|---|---|---|
Off host | Rest | Remains still on surface of leaf or Petri dish |
Groom | Moves legs over antennae and/or wings in a combing action | |
Walk | Walks over surface of leaf or Petri dish | |
Feed | Feeds from honey supply on paper towel | |
On host | Rest | Remains still on surface of egg batch |
Groom | Moves legs over antennae and/or wings in a combing action while standing on egg batch | |
Parasitism | Drum | Walks over surface of egg batch while tapping antennae up and down on egg surface |
Probe | Ovipositor valves partially inserted and drilling through egg shell, abdomen oriented at right angles to egg surface | |
Host feed | Feeds from hole in egg surface created by probing | |
Oviposit | Ovipositor fully inserted into egg, abdomen parallel to egg surface | |
Defence | Flap | Faces towards opponent and flaps wings |
Run | Runs towards opponent | |
Flee | Runs away from opponent | |
Jostle | Opponents lock the ‘corners’ of their thorax together and push each other back and forth across the egg batch | |
Grapple | Opponents lock mandibles and push each other back and forth across the egg batch |