Definition of parasitoid in English:
parasitoid
noun ˈparəsɪtɔɪdˈparəsiˌtoid
Entomology An insect whose larvae live as parasites which eventually kill their hosts, e.g. an ichneumon wasp.
Example sentencesExamples
- Larvae develop as parasitoids of 13 insect orders, spider eggs, ticks, pseudoscorpions, and nematodes, or as primary or secondary feeders on plant tissue.
- In parasitoids, the presence of conspecific females should modify decisions of females confronted with already-parasitized hosts.
- Sticky hairs don't work as well against most parasitoids, whose larvae grow inside and ultimately kill their caterpillar hosts.
- Such treatment typically kills the host; parasitoids are attracting interest as natural controls on insect pests.
- Insects include among their number parasites, parasitoids, carnivores, herbivores, scavengers, and detritivores.