Earwig mothers can boost offspring’s defence against pathogens during postoviposition care

• Published in: Animal behaviour Vol. 219; p. 123010
• Main Authors: Boucicot, Manon, Cheutin, Marie-Charlotte, Laverre, Tiffany, Braquart-Varnier, Christine, Verdon, Julien, Meunier, Joël
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2025; Elsevier
• Subjects: adults; animal behavior; Animal biology; bacteria; eggs; European earwig; family relations; Forficula auricularia; immune memory; immune priming; immunity; insect; insects; Invertebrate Zoology; Life Sciences; oogenesis; oviposition; parental care; pathogens; prediction; progeny; Serratia marcescens; survival rate; TGIP; parental care; European earwig; immune memory; immune priming; Forficula auricularia; insect; TGIP; immune priming Insect

An important function of parental care is to ensure the survival of offspring against pathogens. In insects, it was long believed that this function was limited in scope and time and consisted mainly of parental behaviours reducing contact between offspring and pathogens. However, recent data show t...