Stored-product-pest-management
Guides
Cephalonomia waterstoni
parasitic grain wasp, rusty grain beetlewasp
Cephalonomia waterstoni is a small parasitoid wasp in the family Bethylidae that attacks larvae and pupae of stored-product beetles, particularly the rusty grain beetle (Cryptolestes ferrugineus, formerly Laemophloeus ferrugineus). It is an ectoparasitoid that paralyzes host larvae before laying eggs on them. The species has been extensively studied for its potential as a biological control agent in grain storage facilities. Development is rapid, with the life cycle completing in approximately two weeks at 30°C and three weeks at 25°C.
Habrobracon
Habrobracon is a genus of minute parasitoid wasps in the family Braconidae. Species in this genus are ectoparasitoids of moth caterpillars, with Habrobracon hebetor being the most extensively studied and commercially utilized species. These wasps have been employed in augmentative biological control programs worldwide, particularly in developing countries, to manage stored-product pests and field crop pests without chemical insecticides. The genus has also served as a model organism for radiation biology research due to its remarkable resistance to ionizing radiation.
Theocolax
Theocolax is a genus of small parasitic wasps in the family Cerocephalidae. The genus includes multiple species, with T. elegans being the most extensively studied. Members are ectoparasitoids of stored product insect pests, particularly beetles and moths that develop inside cereal and leguminous grains. They are cosmopolitan in distribution and have been investigated for biological control applications in grain storage facilities.