Preliminary Data on how Sarcophaga bullata Nutritional Compositions can be an Influencer of Oviposition Decisions in Nasonia vitripennis

Parasitoid wasps require host resources for their larvae to appropriately develop, which in turn impacts individual fitness. We hypothesize that the nutritional quality of Sarcophagus fly pupae influences female laying behavior in the Nasonia vitripennis parasitoid wasp. In order for N. vitripennis females to increase their fitness they must find a Sarcophagus fly pupae with the appropriate resources available for developing offspring. To test which factors could affect female choice within this system we collected weight volume, and macronutrient concentrations for each individual Sarcophagus fly pupa. We used multiple biochemical extractions to analyze carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids concentrations in each host. The resulting macronutrient composition of each individual pupae served as a reference that can be used to determine the quality of the host and how that is related back to female oviposition behavior in Nasonia vitripennis. Carbohydrate contents were extracted and quantified using carbohydrate assay kits, which included chemicals like phenol red and hydrochloric acid. Protein concentrations were measured through protein assays and lipid analyzation required solvent-based extraction methods. The weight, length, width, and height were recorded for each Sarcophagus pupae that was analyzed and extracted. Understanding how adult females respond to variations in the quality of a host provides beneficial insight into insect life history, host selection mechanisms, and reproductive decisions.