The following questions refer to the description below.
Plants are not able to move away from predators, so they have evolved chemical methods to protect themselves. Biologists have observed that caterpillars munching on a leaf can be attacked by certain species of wasps. These wasps lay their eggs inside the caterpillar's body, and when the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on its host from the inside.
-Wasps that are free-living but lay their eggs in another species, such as described above, are called
A)parasites.
B)predators.
C)parasitoids.
D)competitors.
E)insect pests.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The wasps described in the passage are laying their eggs in another species (the caterpillar), which makes them parasitoids. Parasites live in or on another organism but do not necessarily kill them, while parasitoids eventually kill their host. Therefore, "parasitoid" is the best choice for the type of wasp described in the passage.

The Following Questions Refer to the Description Below