Parasite-insect interactions: reciprocal manipulation

Extract

It is probably a truism to say that what seems to be a single organism is, in fact, an assemblage of organisms – for there can hardly be an individual living outside a specialized laboratory that does not have commensals or parasites living within. The insects, the most diverse and numerous group of organisms on earth are no exception, and with micro- and macro-parasites from a wide range of taxa generate a remarkable range of interspecific associations. In some cases the insect is the sole host, in others it is an intermediate host or vector. It is the latter relationship which attracts much attention when insects and arachnids transmit infectious agents to humans, their animals or crops. Knowledge of the parasites of insects provides us with an opportunity to develop novel control methods for pests. Despite the diverse and widespread nature of insect infections, their impact on human well-being and the opportunity they give us to understand the complexity of the natural world, the subject remains a surprisingly neglected field. In this volume we endeavour to draw the veil from the 'black-box' approach to the insect stages of parasite life cycles to reveal some of the complexities of these relationships and how they are currently being analysed.