Lemophagus

Townes, 1965

Species Guides

1

Lemophagus is a of ichneumonid wasps in the Campopleginae. are larval of chrysomelid beetles, with documented including cereal leaf beetles, lily leaf beetles, and related leaf-feeding beetles. The genus was erected by Townes in 1965 and contains approximately nine described species distributed across the Palearctic, Oriental, and Nearctic regions. Some species have been introduced as agents for agricultural pests.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Lemophagus: /lɛˈmɒfəɡəs/

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Habitat

Agricultural and natural associated with ; found in cereal crop systems and areas supporting lily and related host plants.

Distribution

Palearctic, Oriental, and Nearctic regions; recorded from India, China, Japan, Europe, and North America (including established introduced in the United States).

Host Associations

Life Cycle

Larval ; females oviposit on or into larvae. Development occurs within the host, with emerging from parasitized larvae.

Behavior

Females use -associated chemical cues for host location. In L. pulcher, olfactory and contact responses to the host's fecal shield mediate short-range host finding and ovipositor probing. Attraction to oral discharge from disturbed host larvae has been observed but requires prior experience.

Ecological Role

agent; regulates of leaf-feeding chrysomelid beetles in agricultural and natural systems.

Human Relevance

Used in programs. Lemophagus curtus was introduced and established in the United States to manage cereal leaf beetle (Oulema melanopus) . L. pulcher has been evaluated as a candidate for lily leaf beetle.

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