Lepidoptera-parasitoid
Guides
Actia
Actia is a genus of tachinid flies (Diptera: Tachinidae) in the tribe Siphonini. These flies are parasitoids of lepidopteran larvae, with species recorded from hosts including spruce budworm, black-headed budworm, and various noctuid moths. The genus contains at least eight Nearctic species, including four described relatively recently (A. dasymyia, A. dimorpha, A. radialis, A. sternalis). Species are grouped into three species groups based on morphological and phylogenetic affinities: autumnalis-group, lamia-group, and crassicornis-group.
Agathidinae
agathidine wasps
Agathidinae is a large subfamily of braconid wasps comprising koinobiont endoparasitoids of lepidopteran larvae. Members are distinguished by elongated facial structures in several genera, bright coloration in diurnal tropical species, and specialized mouthpart adaptations for nectar feeding. The subfamily is taxonomically complex, with phylogenetic studies revising tribal arrangements from 2 to 7 tribes. Species have been successfully employed in biological control programs against agricultural and forestry pests.
Agrothereutes
Agrothereutes is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Ichneumonidae, containing over 40 described species. Members are solitary ectoparasitoids that attack concealed lepidopteran hosts, primarily targeting prepupal and pupal stages. Several species have been studied for their host relationships and reproductive biology, including A. lanceolatus and A. minousubae. The genus exhibits facultative diapause and variable voltinism, with some populations producing one or two generations annually.
Aleiodes aciculatus
Aleiodes aciculatus is a species of braconid wasp described by Ezra Cresson in 1869. It belongs to the genus Aleiodes, a large group of koinobiont endoparasitoids known for mummifying their caterpillar hosts. The species is among the earliest described members of this genus in North America. Like other Aleiodes species, it parasitizes lepidopteran larvae, though specific host records for A. aciculatus remain limited in published literature.
Anomalonini
Anomalonini is a tribe of parasitoid wasps in the family Ichneumonidae, subfamily Anomaloninae. The tribe is dominated by the large genus *Anomalon*, with *Neogreeneia* sometimes recognized as a second genus. Members are koinobiont endoparasitoids of lepidopteran larvae. The tribe contains approximately 5,600+ documented observations, indicating moderate research attention.
Apanteles megathymi
Apanteles megathymi is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Braconidae, first described by Riley in 1881. It belongs to the genus Apanteles, a large and diverse group of microgastrine braconids that are important biological control agents. The species name 'megathymi' suggests a historical association with the genus Megathymus (giant skippers), though current host records require verification. Like other Apanteles species, it is likely a larval parasitoid of Lepidoptera.
Blondelia
Blondelia is a genus of tachinid flies established by Robineau-Desvoidy in 1830, currently comprising approximately 20 described species. As members of the tribe Blondeliini, these flies are parasitoids, with larvae developing inside other insects. The genus has been recorded across the Holarctic region, with species distributed in Europe and North America.
Braconinae
Braconinae is a large subfamily of braconid parasitoid wasps comprising more than 2,000 described species. Members are small to medium-sized wasps, typically dark in coloration though some exhibit red, orange, or pale coloration. They possess cyclostome mouthparts and females usually have a long ovipositor. The subfamily is found worldwide with highest diversity in the Paleotropical region.
parasitoididiobiontectoparasitoidbiocontrolcyclostomeovipositorPaleotropical-diversityLepidoptera-parasitoidColeoptera-parasitoidconcealed-host-larvaevenom-paralysisBracon-brevicornisAtanycolusBaryproctusBraconCeratobraconCoeloidesGlyptomorphaIphiaulaxPseudovipioVipioMegalommumPhylogeny-of-the-Braconinaetribal-classificationAphrastobraconiniBraconiniCoeloidiniCompsobraconiniTropobraconiniVirgulibraconiniAdeshiniArgamaniiniBathyaulaciniEuurobraconiniGlyptomorphiniGnathobraconiniPhysaraiiniRhammuriniVaepelliniMyosotiseiniAspidobraconiniCeratobraconiniVipioniniIphiaulaciniAcanthobraconiniTurkeyIranChinaThailandPakistanAnatoliapistachio-longhorn-beetleCalchaenesthes-pistacivoraScolytidaeCurculionidaeBuprestidaeconiferous-treesbroadleaved-treesMalaise-traplight-trappinghost-carrying-behaviorPycnobraconoidesTrigastrothecaPhysaraiaNesaulaxCurreiaEndovipioAmyosomaMegacoeloidesAlienoclypeusAtanycolus-insolitusBracon-amaculatusBracon-quadrimaculatusBracon-rhinchitiBracon-murgabensisBracon-querceusBracon-karakumicusBracon-hylobiiBracon-irkutensisBracon-longiantennatusBracon-longigenisCoeloides-sordidatorGlyptomorpha-disparBracon-selviaeBracon-bachtiaeBracon-dersimensisGlyptomorpha-nachitshevanicaChelonus-erythrogasterCoeloides-glaboventrisCoeloides-longquanusCoeloides-flavusCoeloides-changbaiensisMegalommum-pistacivoraeMegalommum-xanthocepsMegalommum-jacobsoniMegalommum-ayyariMegalommum-philippinenseMegalommum-dodecanesiMegalommum-ceresenseMegalommum-inareatumMegalommum-antefurcaleMegalommum-tibialePhysaraia-nanensisPhysaraia-panhaiPhysaraia-sakaeratensisPhysaraia-sinensisPhysaraia-sumatranaPhysaraia-tigeriTrigastrotheca-doiphukhaensisTrigastrotheca-pariyanonthaeTrigastrotheca-sureerataeTrigastrotheca-tridentataDoi-Phu-Kha-National-ParkArdahanErzurumIğdırKarsKastamonuTunceliFars-provinceNan-provinceSakaeratZhejiang-UniversityChinese-Academy-of-ForestryDNA-barcodingBOLD-SystemsBugGuide.netWikispeciesWikimedia-CommonsEncyclopedia-of-LifeSystematic-EntomologyZootaxaZooKeysCheck-ListJournal-of-Hymenoptera-ResearchJournal-of-Animal-and-Plant-SciencesPMC11214016PMC1287356828S-rRNACOI16S-rRNA18S-rRNAEF-1αCADelongation-factor-1-alphacytochrome-c-oxidase-subunit-Imitochondrialnuclearmolecular-phylogenymorphological-phylogenymonophyletictribus-novcomb.-novsp.-novsyn.-novincertae-sedisNew-WorldOld-WorldAustralianWest-PalaearcticOrientalIndo-AustralianAsian-TurkeyEuropean-Turkeybiogeographical-provinceszoogeographical-regionschecklistfaunisticstaxonomysystematicsrevisionnew-speciesnew-recordsnew-combinationsnew-synonymsnew-tribepreliminary-keydichotomous-keydiagnostic-characterstype-specimenvoucher-specimenholotypeparatypefemale-specimenadult-specimenlight-trapaerial-netfield-collection2011-20141980-2009observationiNaturalist14342-observationsCarcelia
Carcelia is a genus of tachinid flies comprising over 100 described species distributed across multiple subgenera. Species within this genus are larval parasitoids of Lepidoptera, with documented hosts including noctuid moths, geometrid moths, lymantriid moths, and notodontid moths. Several species have been studied for their potential in biological control of agricultural and forestry pests, including Carcelia iliaca, which achieves parasitism rates of approximately 80% on the invasive oak processionary moth in the United Kingdom. The genus exhibits life cycle adaptations including generation synchronization with host populations and diapause strategies.
Casinaria
Casinaria is a genus of koinobiont endoparasitoid wasps in the family Ichneumonidae, first described by Holmgren in 1859. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution with over 150 described species. Members are primarily parasitoids of Lepidoptera, with some species documented attacking specific host moths including geometrids and noctuids. Several species have been reared from forest pest species, suggesting potential value in biological control programs.
Catadelphops nasutus
Catadelphops nasutus is a species of ichneumon wasp in the family Ichneumonidae, subfamily Ichneumoninae. It was described by Heinrich in 1962 from specimens collected in the Santa Rita Mountains of Arizona. The species name "nasutus" refers to the distinctive bipartite swelling on the clypeus. The genus Catadelphops was erected by Heinrich based on this single species, with females characterized by being amblypygous—having a very short ovipositor and broad subgenital plate.
Cheloninae
chelonine wasps
Cheloninae is a cosmopolitan subfamily of braconid parasitoid wasps, distinguished by a distinctive metasomal carapace formed from the fusion of the first three tergites. Members are solitary koinobiont endoparasitoids that primarily attack Lepidoptera, particularly Pyraloidea and Tortricoidea. They are egg-larval parasitoids, ovipositing into host eggs but completing development only after the caterpillar hatches and matures. Chelonines carry polydnaviruses that aid in suppressing host immune responses.
Colpotrochia
Colpotrochia is a genus of ichneumon wasps in the subfamily Metopiinae, containing at least 61 described species. These small wasps, averaging 6–10 mm in body length, are larval-pupal endoparasitoids of Lepidoptera. Females use a short ovipositor to lay eggs in caterpillars, with wasps emerging from the host pupa rather than the adult moth. The genus has been recorded from North America, Brazil, and Europe.
Colpotrochia texana
Colpotrochia texana is a small ichneumon wasp in the subfamily Metopiinae, first described by Cresson in 1872. It is one of four North American species in the genus Colpotrochia, which are koinobiont parasitoids of caterpillars. The species is known from Brazil (Santa Catarina and São Paulo states) based on distribution records, though the genus as a whole ranges from the Atlantic coast of North America to just west of the Mississippi River.
Copidosoma
copidosoma wasp
Copidosoma is a genus of chalcid wasps in the family Encyrtidae, comprising over 200 species of polyembryonic parasitoids. These wasps deposit one or two eggs into host Lepidoptera eggs, which then proliferate into thousands of genetically identical embryos. A unique caste system produces two larval morphs: sterile soldiers that defend the host from competitors and reproductive larvae that consume the host and emerge as adults. The genus has been extensively studied for its extreme clonal reproduction and is widely used in biological control programs against agricultural pests.
Cremastinae
Cremastinae is a worldwide subfamily of parasitoid wasps within Ichneumonidae. Members are koinobiont endoparasitoids, primarily attacking concealed larvae of Lepidoptera. Several genera, including Pristomerus, have been used in biological control programs. The subfamily exhibits high diversity in tropical regions, with numerous undescribed species.
Cyrtophleba coquilletti
Cyrtophleba coquilletti is a species of tachinid fly (Diptera: Tachinidae) described by Aldrich in 1926. It is known as a parasitoid of certain moth species, specifically Megalopyge crispata and Epiglaea apiata. The species is recorded from North America. Like other tachinid flies, it likely plays a role in regulating populations of its lepidopteran hosts.
Dusona
Dusona is a large genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Ichneumonidae, subfamily Campopleginae, with 442 described species. It is the most species-rich genus in its subfamily and has a cosmopolitan distribution. Members are morphologically distinctive within Campopleginae and primarily parasitize Lepidopteran larvae.
Elachertus
Elachertus is a genus of small parasitoid wasps in the family Eulophidae. Species within this genus are primarily larval ectoparasitoids of Lepidoptera, with documented associations on hosts including tortricid, geometrid, syntomid, and gelechiid moths. Several species have been studied for their potential in biological control of forest and agricultural pests. The genus exhibits variation in life history strategies, with most species being idiobiont ectoparasitoids, though at least one species (E. scutellatus) has been reported as koinobiont.
Eriborus
Eriborus is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Ichneumonidae with nearly cosmopolitan distribution. Species in this genus are koinobiont endoparasitoids, primarily attacking larval hosts in several lepidopteran families including Pyralidae, Cossidae, Sesiidae, and Noctuidae. Several species have been studied extensively for biological control applications, particularly against agricultural pests such as the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) and cabbage cluster caterpillar (Crocidolomia pavonana). The genus includes species with documented diurnal activity patterns and temperature-dependent developmental rates.
Eulophus
Eulophus is a genus of chalcidoid wasps in the family Eulophidae. Species are gregarious ectoparasitoids, primarily attacking lepidopteran larvae. The genus has been extensively studied for its biological control potential, particularly E. pennicornis against the tomato moth Lacanobia oleracea. Wasp larvae feed externally on host caterpillars and possess sophisticated host manipulation capabilities including developmental arrest and immune suppression.
Eulophus anomocerus
Eulophus anomocerus is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Eulophidae. The genus Eulophus comprises small chalcidoid wasps known primarily as ectoparasitoids of Lepidoptera larvae. This species was described by Crawford in 1912 and has been recorded in several Canadian provinces. As with most Eulophidae, the species likely exhibits koinobiont parasitoid biology, allowing the host to continue developing while the parasitoid feeds.
Euplectrus comstockii
Euplectrus comstockii is an ectoparasitoid wasp in the family Eulophidae that parasitizes larval Lepidoptera. Adult females inject venom containing a developmental arrestant that arrests host molting and metamorphosis, maintaining the host in a suitable state for parasitoid offspring development. The species has been studied extensively for its host-parasitoid interactions, venom biochemistry, and potential use in biological control programs. Developmental timing varies with temperature: at 24°C and 72.8% relative humidity, the egg stage lasts approximately 1.75 days, larval stage 5.0 days, prepupa 0.95 days, and pupa 5.5 days.
Exochus nigripalpis tectulum
Exochus nigripalpis tectulum is a subspecies of ichneumonid wasp described by Townes & Townes in 1959. It belongs to the genus Exochus, a group of koinobiont parasitoid wasps that attack concealed lepidopteran larvae. The subspecies designation suggests geographic or morphological differentiation from the nominate form E. nigripalpis nigripalpis. Records indicate presence in Canada, Denmark, and Norway.
Goneatara nasutus
Goneatara nasutus is a species of ichneumon wasp in the family Ichneumonidae, subfamily Ichneumoninae. The species was described by Heinrich in 1962 based on three female specimens from southern Arizona. It is characterized by an unusual clypeus with a median swelling that becomes bipartite below, branching toward the apical margin—this distinctive feature inspired the specific epithet "nasutus" (meaning "large-nosed"). Females are amblypygous, possessing a very short ovipositor and broad subgenital plate, an adaptation for ovipositing into mature larvae or prepupae of Lepidoptera rather than pupae.
Goniozus asperulus
Goniozus asperulus is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Bethylidae. Members of this genus are known to parasitize larvae of Lepidoptera, particularly pyralid moths that are agricultural pests. The species is characterized by specific morphological features including surface sculpturing on the mesosoma. It has been recorded in association with stored product pest scenarios.
Gymnocheta
Gymnocheta is a genus of tachinid flies comprising approximately 12 described species distributed across the Palaearctic region. The genus is distinguished by metallic green coloration in some species, a trait shared with only one other European tachinid genus. Members are parasitoids of Lepidoptera, with larvae developing inside host caterpillars. The genome of G. viridis was sequenced as part of the Darwin Tree of Life Project.
Gymnoclytia immaculata
Gymnoclytia immaculata is a North American tachinid fly species in the family Tachinidae. As a parasitoid, its larvae develop within host insects rather than feeding independently. The species has been recorded from hosts in both Lepidoptera and Hemiptera, specifically the armyworm moth Pseudaletia unipuncta and the stink bug Euschistus variolarius. It occurs across a broad geographic range from British Columbia to Quebec in Canada, throughout the United States, and south into Mexico.
Helorimorphini
Helorimorphini is a tribe of parasitoid wasps within the family Braconidae. Members are koinobiont endoparasitoids, meaning they develop inside living hosts without immediately killing them. The tribe is relatively small and understudied, with most species associated with lepidopteran hosts.
Heterischnus
Heterischnus is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Ichneumonidae, subfamily Ichneumoninae, tribe Phaeogenini. The genus occurs across three continents: Europe, North America, and Africa. At least eleven species are recognized, including H. filiformis, which has been documented parasitizing the moth Xestia collina. The Nearctic species were revised in 2021, providing the first regional identification key.
Hormiinae
Hormiinae is a subfamily of Braconidae (Hymenoptera) comprising approximately 8 species in 4 genera and 2 tribes in Iran, with a cosmopolitan genus Hormius. Members include brachypterous and micropterous species with reduced wings. Some species are parasitoids of lepidopteran pupae.
Hyphantrophaga
Hyphantrophaga is a genus of tachinid flies in the tribe Goniini, subfamily Exoristinae, containing 46 valid species. The genus is notable for a major taxonomic revision in 2019 that described 22 new species from Costa Rica and synonymized five previously recognized genera. Species in this genus are parasitoids of caterpillars across a broad range of lepidopteran families.
Ichneumoninae
Ichneumoninae is the second largest subfamily of Ichneumonidae, with over 420 genera and 4,375 described species distributed worldwide. Members are typically large, conspicuous, and often brightly colored parasitoid wasps. They are koinobiont or idiobiont endoparasitoids of Lepidoptera, with larvae developing inside moth and butterfly caterpillars or pupae. The subfamily was recently reorganized from 15 tribes to 7 tribes, with Ichneumonini containing well over 300 genera.
Lissonota
Lissonota is a large genus of ichneumon wasps in the family Ichneumonidae, comprising at least 390 described species. Members of this genus are parasitoids, with documented species attacking lepidopteran pests of agricultural crops including pistachio and maguey. The genus has been recorded across Europe, Mexico, and Turkey, with distribution records from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
Metopius
Metopius is a cosmopolitan genus of parasitoid wasps in the subfamily Metopiinae (Ichneumonidae). Adults are large, conspicuous insects with bold black and yellow longitudinal striping, reaching over 2 cm in length. The genus is divided into subgenera including Metopius s.str. and Peltastes. Species are known to parasitize caterpillars of Lepidoptera, particularly those found in leaf rolls.
Microgastrinae
Microgastrinae is a subfamily of braconid wasps containing approximately 3,000 described species, with an estimated total diversity of 30,000–50,000 species. Members are small koinobiont endoparasitoids of larval Lepidoptera, and represent one of the most species-rich groups of parasitoid wasps. They are distinguished by their 18-segmented antennae and association with polydnaviruses, which are essential for successful parasitism.
Microplitis
Microplitis is a genus of braconid wasps in the subfamily Microgastrinae, comprising over 190 described species distributed worldwide. These small parasitoid wasps are larval endoparasitoids of Lepidoptera, primarily attacking caterpillars of Noctuidae and related families. Several species are important in biological control programs against agricultural pests, including M. croceipes and M. demolitor which parasitize Heliothis/Helicoverpa species. The genus was revised in 2015 for the Neotropics and in 2019 for India, with new species continuing to be described.
Nemorilla
Nemorilla is a genus of tachinid flies (Diptera: Tachinidae) established by Rondani in 1856. Species within this genus are parasitoids of Lepidoptera larvae, with documented hosts including the legume pod borer (Maruca vitrata) and the box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis). At least one species, N. maculosa, has been studied for its use of herbivore-induced plant volatiles to locate hosts. The genus contains approximately 15 described species distributed across multiple continents.
Ophion
nocturnal ichneumon wasps
Ophion is a genus of nocturnal ichneumonid wasps in the subfamily Ophioninae. Members are typically orange to yellow in coloration and are endoparasitoids of lepidopteran larvae. The genus exhibits exceptionally high morphological similarity among species, making identification difficult without molecular or detailed morphometric analysis. Most species are attracted to artificial lights at night. The genus has a worldwide distribution with greatest diversity in temperate regions.
Ophioninae
Short-tailed Ichneumonid Wasps
Ophioninae is a cosmopolitan subfamily of ichneumonid wasps comprising approximately 32–33 genera with exceptional diversity in tropical regions. These wasps are primarily koinobiont endoparasitoids of larval Lepidoptera, though at least one species parasitizes Scarabaeidae (Coleoptera). They are notable among parasitic wasps for possessing ovipositors capable of stinging vertebrates in self-defense. Adults are typically large, slender, and orange with compressed, curved abdomens, very large ocelli, and long antennae. They are predominantly nocturnal and strongly attracted to artificial light sources.
Panzeria
Panzeria is a genus of tachinid flies (Diptera: Tachinidae) in the tribe Ernestiini, containing approximately 80 described species distributed across the Holarctic region. Species within this genus are parasitoids, with at least one species, Panzeria ampelus, documented as an occasional parasitoid of agricultural pest Lepidoptera. The genus was established by Robineau-Desvoidy in 1830 and includes species described by numerous dipteran taxonomists across the 19th and 20th centuries.
Paraolinx
Paraolinx is a genus of chalcid wasps in the family Eulophidae, first described by Ashmead in 1894. The genus belongs to the subfamily Eulophinae and is part of the diverse parasitoid wasp fauna associated with various insect hosts. Records indicate presence in Brazil (Minas Gerais). The genus is included in phylogenetic analyses of the tribe Cirrospilini, a group of eulophine wasps that includes many parasitoids of leaf-mining and other concealed-feeding insects.
Phanerotoma
Phanerotoma is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Braconidae, subfamily Cheloninae, with at least 190 described species. Species within this genus are primarily larval or ovo-larval parasitoids of Lepidoptera, particularly moths in families Pyralidae, Gracillariidae, and Olethreutidae. Several species have been studied for their potential as biological control agents of agricultural pests, including stored product pests and crop pests on cowpea, citrus, pecan, and litchi. The genus exhibits host-specificity at the species level, with different Phanerotoma species attacking distinct host groups.
Polytribax
Polytribax is a genus of ichneumonid wasps in the subfamily Cryptinae containing approximately 15 described species. Members are parasitoids of Lepidoptera pupae, with females adapted for ground-level foraging in leaf litter and soil. The genus exhibits strong sexual dimorphism, particularly pronounced in Polytribax perspicillator. Species are distributed across the Western Palaearctic with records extending to the Oriental and Nearctic realms.
Pseudophanerotoma
A genus of solitary endoparasitoid wasps in the family Braconidae, subfamily Cheloninae. Species are known to parasitize tortricid moths, including agricultural pests. The genus occurs from southern Texas through Mexico and Central America to South America (Brazil, Peru, French Guiana). At least four species have been described: P. huichol (Mexico), P. austini (Guatemala), P. paranaensis (Brazil, French Guiana), and P. thapsina (Texas, French Guiana).
Rhysipolinae
Rhysipolinae is a small cosmopolitan subfamily of braconid wasps comprising approximately 10 genera and more than 80 species. Members are cyclostome wasps characterized by koinobiont ectoparasitoid biology—a rare strategy among Braconidae that deviates from the more common koinobiont-endoparasitoid or idiobiont-ectoparasitoid modes. The subfamily has been taxonomically challenging due to the absence of exclusive morphological diagnostic features, though recent phylogenomic analyses using ultraconserved elements have confirmed its monophyly and clarified some generic boundaries.
Rogadinae
Mummy Wasps
Rogadinae is a large, cosmopolitan subfamily of braconid parasitoid wasps commonly known as "mummy wasps." Members are koinobiont endoparasitoids of lepidopteran larvae, uniquely characterized by causing their host caterpillars to mummify—the wasp larva pupates within the desiccated host remains. The subfamily contains six tribes (Aleiodini, Betylobraconini, Clinocentrini, Rogadini, Stiropiini, Yeliconini) and is especially diverse in the genus Aleiodes. Several species are important natural biological control agents of agricultural pest caterpillars.
Seticornuta
Seticornuta is a small genus of parasitoid wasps in the subfamily Metopiinae (Ichneumonidae). The genus contains approximately seven described species distributed across the Americas and Asia. Members are solitary larval or pupal koinobiont endoparasitoids of Lepidoptera. Recent descriptions include S. jacutinga from Brazil and S. koreana from South Korea, expanding the known range of this previously poorly documented genus.
Siphosturmia phyciodis
Siphosturmia phyciodis is a species of tachinid fly described by Coquillett in 1897. It belongs to the tribe Eryciini within the subfamily Exoristinae. The species is known from North America. As a member of Tachinidae, it is likely a parasitoid, though specific host records require verification.
Tachininae
Tachininae is a subfamily of tachinid flies (Diptera: Tachinidae) comprising approximately 127+ species across 53+ genera and 14 tribes. The group is supported as monophyletic based on molecular data, with the exclusion of Macquartini and Myiophasiini. Members are obligate parasitoids of insects, with documented hosts in Lepidoptera (primarily), Coleoptera, Diptera, and Dermaptera. They serve as important biological control agents of agricultural and forest pests.