 Female Ichneumonid Gelis laying eggs |
A parasite developing at the expense of another parasite is called a Hyper-parasite (is that true for English?) This way, a caterpillar of the Little Tortoiseshell can serve as a food source for two different life forms, although eaten only once. There are many parasites to the Little Tortoiseshell. There are quite a number of different Braconid and Ichneumonid species, as well as flies of the Tachinidae family, that have similar parasitic life styles as has have Braconids and Ichneumonids. These parasites control the numbers of the Little Tortoiseshell. At the same time, they do not reduce the species to extinction. The little Tortoiseshell is a common butterfly - apparently its life strategies enables the species to live in a balance with its enemies and to successfully survive them. |
