Our study entitled “Invasive host caught up with a native parasitoid: field data reveal high parasitism of Harmonia axyridis by Dinocampus coccinellae in Central Europe” published in the journal Biological Invasions shows that something interesting has happened in the Czech Republic. The Central European populations of the invasive harlequin ladybird often show unusually high parasitation rates by the parasitoid wasp Dinocampus coccinellae. The harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis, has so far been identified as an inappropriate host for this parasitoid across the globe. The supposed explanation is the recent adaptation of Dinocampus coccinellae to H. axyridis (a very abundant potential host in the Czech Republic). However, direct evidence will need to be obtained through upcoming laboratory experiments.
