Influence of oviposition strategy of Nemorilla pyste and Nilea erecta (Diptera: Tachinidae) on parasitoid fertility and host mortality

► Nemorilla pyste is a tachinid parasitoid that oviposits onto hosts. ► Nilea erecta is a tachinid parasitoid that ovolarviposits onto substrate around hosts. ► The influence of host density on parasitoid fertility and host mortality was examined. ► Species had similar fertilities, but N. erecta caused higher host mortality. ► Increased host mortality from N. erecta was attributed to superparasitism.