HumBug Online

Some experts assert that the most common lifestyle in nature is that of parasitism. (Read Rachel Nuwer's interview with ecologist Kevin Lafferty "Parasitism is the Most Popular Lifestyle on Earth" for more on this.) The world of arthropods is no exception. I've mentioned before that mankind's deadliest opponent in nature is the synergistic combination of mosquitoes and the diseases they carry.
Our native species aren't vectors for the worst of the ailments but, locally, ticks can and do carry Lyme disease, which came to mind when we found a blood engorged female on our bed after the dog spent an evening there.


While there are hosts of insects that are parasites on all manner of animals, insects have their own specialized parasites that play an important part in controlling their populations. Often these are actually classified as parasitoids whose activity kills the host directly. Think of the creatures from the Alien movies popping out of folks' chests.
Apparently no one is immune. Even parasites have their own dedicated parasites. Tearing some siding off my house during remodeling, I was surprised to see hundreds of tiny wasps huddled together in apparent torpor under one of the boards.
According to www.bugguide.net, they are from the family perilampidae.
One source says some species of this family are hyperparasitoids who parasitize parasites entering the body of a secondary host — it might be a butterfly caterpillar that is infected with a parasitoid, such as a tachnid fly's larva entering it — and eating its way out of that parasite. Even our nightmares have nightmares.