Copidosoma floridanum on leaf
In a study on the parasitoid wasp Copidosoma floridanum, the presence of competitor parasitoid Microplitis demolitor resulted in a shift toward generating more soldier larvae in the C. floridanum brood, while heat shock and bacterial infection had no influence. Future research may seek to understand the cellular basis for C. floridanum’s caste formation. (Photo credit: Scott Justis, Bugguide.net)