Infanticide and ovicide
Infanticide (the killing of the immature by adults of the same species) is observed in both vertebrates and invertebrates (Hausfater and Hrdy, 1984). Initially, this type of cannibalism was thought to be committed either accidentally or as an unusual response to stressful conditions. From a group-selection viewpoint, this strategy might be considered maladaptive (in terms of the survival of the species or population as a whole), except for the case where it suppresses high-density populations and limits continued population growth (Calhoun 1962). Another situation in which a female may kill and eat young occurs in super-parasitism and ovicide. Here, a parent may use infanticide (including ovicide, which is the consumption of eggs) to increase the probability of her offspring's survival by killing some or all of the previous female's eggs or larvae (Strand and Godfray, 1989). By laying another clutch on the host organism in place of the first (super-parasitism), the parasitoid claims the space for her offspring and reduces competition for her young after they emerge and then during their development. This strategy is common among insect parasitoids such as wasps (Strand and Godfray, 1989). One such wasp is the Bracon hebetor.
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