Pro-ovigenic

Guides

• Ibalia leucospoides

  knife-shaped ibalia, Sirex Ibaliid Wasp

  Ibalia leucospoides is a solitary endoparasitoid wasp in the family Ibaliidae, native to the Northern Hemisphere and widely introduced to the Southern Hemisphere as a biological control agent for the invasive woodwasp Sirex noctilio. Adults are active from April to December depending on location, with a univoltine life cycle synchronized with host emergence. The species exhibits pro-ovigenic reproduction, with females emerging with a high proportion of mature eggs relative to lifetime fecundity. Adult feeding has minimal impact on egg maturation, survival, or flight capacity.

  parasitoidbiological-controlconifer-forestSirex-noctiliopro-ovigenicolfactory-foragingcuticular-hydrocarbonssex-pheromonepatch-foragingflight-ecology