Data from: The effect of Wolbachia on the lifetime reproductive success of its insect host in the field

Wolbachia is a widespread endosymbiont that induces dramatic manipulations
of its host's reproduction. Although there has been substantial
progress in the developing theory for Wolbachia–host interactions and in
measuring the effects of Wolbachia on host fitness in the laboratory,
there is a widely recognized need to quantify the effects of Wolbachia on
the host fitness in the field. The wasp Anagrus sophiae, an egg parasitoid
of planthoppers, carries a Wolbachia strain that induces parthenogenesis,
but its effects on the fitness of its Anagrus host are unknown. We
developed a method to estimate the realized lifetime reproductive success
of female wasps by collecting them soon after they die naturally in the
field, counting the number of eggs remaining in their ovaries and
quantifying Wolbachia density in their body. We sampled from a highly
infected A. sophiae population and found no evidence for Wolbachia
virulence and possible evidence for positive effects of Wolbachia on
realized reproductive success.