Postegression-feeding

Guides

• Toxoneuron nigriceps

  Toxoneuron nigriceps is a koinobiont endoparasitoid wasp in the family Braconidae. It is highly host-specific to the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens, and historically provided substantial natural biological control in agricultural systems. The species exhibits complex host manipulation strategies including injection of polydnavirus, venom, and ovarian proteins during oviposition, followed by a distinctive postegression feeding phase where larvae exit the host to feed externally on liquefied tissues before pupation.

  parasitoidkoinobiontbiological-controlHeliothis-virescenstobacco-budwormpolydnavirushost-manipulationpostegression-feedingBraconidae