Agricultural-ecosystem

Guides

• Hexacladia

  Hexacladia is a genus of gregarious endoparasitoid wasps in the family Encyrtidae, subfamily Encyrtinae. Species develop as endoparasitoids within adult heteropteran bugs, primarily in the family Pentatomidae (stink bugs), with some records from Coreidae and Scutelleridae. Multiple parasitoid individuals typically emerge from a single host. The genus has been documented as a biological control agent of agricultural pest stink bugs in South America, including species that attack soybean and rice crops. Seven species are recorded from South America, with H. smithii being the most widely reported.

  parasitoidgregariousbiological-controlstink-bugsoybean-pestrice-pestPentatomidaeendoparasitoidSouth-Americaagricultural-ecosystem

• Thaumatomyia

  cereal flies, frit flies

  Thaumatomyia is a genus of small flies in the family Chloropidae, commonly known as cereal flies or frit flies. The genus includes species with divergent larval ecologies: some are predatory on root aphids in agricultural soils, while others have been observed feeding on plant exudates. Several species are recognized as important biological control agents of root aphids in sugar beet and cereal crops in Middle Asia.

  root-aphid-predatorbiological-controlagricultural-ecosystemChloropidaephenotypic-variationseasonal-polymorphism