Lepidoptera-parasite
Guides
Compsilura
Compsilura is a genus of tachinid flies (Diptera: Tachinidae) established by Bouché in 1834. The genus includes several species, with Compsilura concinnata being the most extensively studied due to its historical use as a biological control agent. Species in this genus are parasitoids of Lepidoptera larvae and have been introduced to multiple continents for pest management. The genus has been implicated in unintended ecological impacts, particularly C. concinnata's role in declines of native silk moth populations in North America.
Gambrus amoenus
Gambrus amoenus is a species of ichneumon wasp in the family Ichneumonidae, first described by Gravenhorst in 1829. The genus Gambrus belongs to the subfamily Ichneumoninae, a large and diverse group of parasitoid wasps. Species in this genus are known to parasitize lepidopteran larvae, particularly those of moth families such as Noctuidae. G. amoenus is one of several species within the genus that has been documented in Europe and parts of Asia.
Haltichella
Haltichella is a genus of chalcidid wasps in the family Chalcididae, established by Spinola in 1811. The genus contains at least 20 described species with a cosmopolitan distribution. Members are parasitoid wasps whose larvae develop in or on host organisms. Host associations include Lepidoptera (families Bucculatricidae, Gelechiidae, Momphidae, Notodontidae, Oecophoridae, Pyralidae, Tortricidae) and Hymenoptera (Braconidae, Ichneumonidae).
Leschenaultia
Leschenaultia is a genus of tachinid flies comprising approximately 35 described species distributed across the New World, from Canada to Argentina. Species in this genus are parasitoids of Lepidoptera, with documented hosts spanning at least seven families including Lasiocampidae, Erebidae, Noctuidae, and Saturniidae. The genus has been studied primarily for its role in biological control of forest tent caterpillar and other caterpillar pests. Female flies locate hosts using volatile cues from damaged plants and host frass, with oviposition strategies varying between macrotype eggs deposited directly on host integument and microtype eggs placed on foliage.
Mesochorus uniformis
Mesochorus uniformis is a species of ichneumon wasp described by Cresson in 1872. It belongs to the genus Mesochorus, a group of koinobiont endoparasitoids that attack lepidopteran larvae. The species has been documented in western Canada, with records from Alberta and British Columbia.
Voria ruralis
Voria ruralis is a tachinid fly that parasitizes lepidopteran larvae, particularly noctuid moths including the cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni) and soybean looper (Pseudoplusia includens). It is widely distributed across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. The species has been documented as a biological control agent in agricultural systems, with parasitism rates reaching over 20% on some hosts. Developmental time varies with temperature, and females exhibit host discrimination behavior when selecting targets for oviposition.
Winthemia reinhardi
Winthemia reinhardi is a species of tachinid fly (Diptera: Tachinidae) described by Guimarães in 1972. The genus Winthemia comprises parasitoid flies that are internal parasites of caterpillars and other insect larvae. This species is recorded from North America.