parasitoid

par·a·sit·oid | \ ˈper-ə-sə-ˌtȯid

How to pronounce parasitoid (audio)

, -ˌsī-, ˈpa-rə- \

Definition of parasitoid

: an insect and especially a wasp that completes its larval development within the body of another insect eventually killing it and is free-living as an adult

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Examples of parasitoid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Shockley says other parasitoids use their hosts’ existing behaviors. — Lela Nargi, Washington Post, "Some wasps, flies and ants can turn fellow insects into zombies," 28 Oct. 2019 There are fly parasitoids that decapitate (or take the heads off) fire ants. — Lela Nargi, Washington Post, "Some wasps, flies and ants can turn fellow insects into zombies," 28 Oct. 2019 For proof of how perplexing these attacks are, consider what parasitoid wasps do to spiders. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "How Wasps Turn Spiders Into Obedient Zombies," 30 Apr. 2019 He and two postdoctoral fellows in his lab, Ellen O. Martinson and Mrinalini (now at the National University of Singapore), were interested in understanding the diversity of toxins in parasitoid venoms and how those toxins evolve. — Quanta Magazine, "Moonlighting Genes Evolve for a Venomous Job," 22 June 2017 All the while his ground-breaking discoveries continued: Willughby wrote on sap rising in trees, on ballooning spiders, on parasitoids in caterpillars and on leaf-cutter bees, later named Megachile willughbiella. — Jenny Uglow, WSJ, "‘The Wonderful Mr. Willughby’ Review: Hatching a New Science," 5 July 2018 Karma is a real pest for parasitoids, tiny parasitic wasps that lay their eggs on caterpillars. — Mitch Leslie, Science | AAAS, "How one parasitic wasp becomes the victim—of another parasitic wasp," 30 Apr. 2018 He and two postdoctoral fellows in his lab, Ellen O. Martinson and Mrinalini (now at the National University of Singapore), were interested in understanding the diversity of toxins in parasitoid venoms and how those toxins evolve. — Christie Wilcox, Scientific American, "Moonlighting Genes Evolve for a Venomous Job," 10 July 2017 The chrysalis is unpacked, inspected for any sign of disease or parasitoids, then pinned to foam boards and placed into the emergence chamber. — Kathy Berdan, Twin Cities, "Stand still. Stay quiet. A colorful critter might alight on your finger at Como’s ‘Blooming Butterflies’," 12 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'parasitoid.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

3 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Parasitoid.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parasitoid. Accessed 8 December 2019.

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