Analysis of Foraging Behavior of the Whitefly ParasitoidEncarsia formosaon a Leaf: A Simulation Study

Foraging behavior ofEncarsia formosawas analyzed with a stochastic simulation model of the searching parasitoid during a single visit to a tomato leaflet infested with immatures of the greenhouse whitefly,Trialeurodes vaporariorum,from which the parasitoid can fly away. The model is based on host searching, host selection, host handling, and patch leaving behavior and on the physiology of the parasitoid. Outputs of the model were the residence time of the parasitoid on the leaflet and the number of hosts encountered, parasitized, or killed by host feeding. The mean residence time and the mean number of encounters, ovipositions, and host feedings on the leaflet increased with host density to a maximum of 14.0 h, 209.3 encounters, 15.6 ovipositions, and 2.9 host feedings. The shape of the curves resembles a Type II functional response. The relationship between ovipositions per unit of residence time and host density showed a dome-shaped curve. The most important parameters affecting the number of ovipositions at low host densities were the parasitoidʹs initial egg load, the walking speed, the walking activity, and the leaf area. At high densities, the maximum and initial egg loads and the egg maturation rate were most essential.