Filming VarWild: Iphiclides podalirius

This documentary shows the different stages of development of its life-cycle, and the different egg-parasitoids that attacks the eggs of this butterfly.

Parasitoids

Eupelmidae : Anastatus bifasciatus parasitizes an egg of Iphiclides podalirius

This species belongs to the family Eupelmidae (superfamily Chalcidoidea). Anastatus bifasciatus is a widespread egg parasitoid, native to Europe. This parasitoid is a generalist of eggs of many different insects species, especially Lepidoptera and Hemiptera.

The 1.5 - 2 mm large A. bifasciatus parasitizes regularly the 1 mm large eggs of the Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius).

Eupelmidae : Anastatus bifasciatus - the live history of this egg parasitoid

In this video the different stages of the parasitoid larva are shown in the i mm large, Scarse swallowtail host egg. The emergence of a male and female is shown, which clearly shows the sexual dimorphism of this species.

Trichogrammatidae : 30 Trichogramma gicai Pintureau & Stefanescu, 2000 emerge from an Iphiclides podalirius egg

Trichogramma is a egg parasitoid from the family Trichogrammatidae. The species of this family belong to some of the tiniest wasps in the superfamily Chalcidoidea and parasitize the eggs of many different orders of insects.

From this 1.3 mm large egg of the Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius), on a leaf of an almond tree, 30 wasps emerged; 11 males and 19 females.