Aphidius
Aphidius
Classification
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Hymenoptera
- Superfamily: Ichneumonoidea
- Family: Braconidae
- Subfamily: Aphidiinae
- Tribe: Aphidiini
- Subtribe: Aphidiina
- Genus: Aphidius
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Aphidius: /æˈfɪdiəs/
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Summary
The genus Aphidius consists of small wasps that serve as endoparasitoids of aphids, contributing significantly to biological pest control in various environments.
Physical Characteristics
1.5 - 3 mm long, small wasps with distinct fore wing venation patterns. The r vein is much longer than the r-m vein, and vein R1 reaches more than halfway from the stigma to the wing apex.
Identification Tips
Distinguished from other aphidiine genera by the specific fore wing venation, particularly the long r vein.
Habitat
Common in agricultural crops, greenhouses, urban landscapes, and home gardens.
Distribution
Cosmopolitan distribution, common throughout the New World.
Diet
Endoparasitoids of aphids; the larvae feed on the inside of the aphid hosts.
Life Cycle
Complete metamorphosis occurs within the aphid host. Adult larvae mature, causing the host to die and often become mummified, with a distinctive appearance.
Reproduction
Females lay a single egg in each aphid host.
Ecosystem Role
Biological pest control agents of aphids, helping to manage populations of these pests.
Economic Impact
They include many species useful in biological pest control of aphids affecting agricultural crops.
Similar Taxa
- Xenostigma
- Monoctonus
- Pauesia
Tags
- Aphidius
- Braconidae
- biological control
- endoparasitoid