File:Reward-Value-Determines-Memory-Consolidation-in-Parasitic-Wasps-pone.0039615.s001.ogv

English: Oviposition behavior of female Cotesia glomerata wasps into first instar caterpillars of Pieris brassicae. These caterpillars of the large cabbage white butterfly P. brassicae are feeding gregariously on a leaf of Brussels sprouts, and are attacked by two C. glomerata females. The very fast insertion of the ovipositor into the caterpillars is clearly visible. The oviposition experience serves as a reward in associative learning, where plant odors are learned to predict the presence of suitable hosts [9], [15]. The parasitic wasp lays approximately 20 eggs in each caterpillar, after which the caterpillar will continue to develop until the fifth larval instar. When the parasitic wasp larvae are fully-grown they will emerge from the caterpillar, spin a cocoon and develop into adult parasitic wasps. The caterpillar will die before pupation. Movie (41 seconds) courtesy of Hans M. Smid.