Codling-moth
Guides
Ascogaster
Ascogaster is a genus of braconid wasps comprising egg-larval endoparasitoids that attack tortricid moth pests. Females oviposit into host eggs, and developing wasp larvae consume host reproductive organs—a process termed host castration—before eventually killing the host. This developmental strategy redirects host resources from reproduction to somatic growth, increasing host size and improving conditions for parasitoid development. Several species have been studied for biological control applications, particularly against the codling moth (Cydia pomonella) and smaller tea tortrix (Adoxophyes spp.).
Mastrus
Mastrus is a genus of ichneumonid wasps (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) containing parasitoid species that attack lepidopteran hosts, particularly tortricid moths. The genus includes species of significant agricultural importance as biological control agents, notably M. ridens and M. ridibundus, which parasitize the codling moth (Cydia pomonella). Species in this genus are gregarious ectoparasitoids that attack host larvae during the cocooning/prepupal stage. Research has focused on their olfactory host-finding mechanisms, thermal biology, and integration into conservation biological control programs.