Tritrophic-interactions
Guides
Aulogymnus
Aulogymnus is a genus of chalcidoid wasps in the family Eulophidae, first described by Förster in 1851. Members of this genus are small parasitoid wasps, part of a diverse family that primarily parasitizes other insects. The genus has been recorded from Europe and Asia. Specific biological details for the genus as a whole remain poorly documented in accessible literature.
parasitoidEulophidaeChalcidoideaHymenopteraPalearcticwaspsinsectsarthropodsentomologytaxonomyFörster-1851DenmarkSpainTibetChinaEuropeAsiaminute-waspschalcid-waspsEulophinaeTerebrantesApocritaHexapodaAnimaliaArthropodaInsectaAulogymnussmall-waspstiny-waspsparasitic-waspsbiological-controlinsect-parasitoidssystematicsmorphologyidentificationkeysNearcticOrientalXizangcitizen-scienceiNaturalistobservationsrecordsdistributionFörster1851genusacceptedvalidsynonymychalcidoidchalcidchalcidseulophideulophidseulophid-waspseulophinesparasitoid-waspsparasitic-Hymenopterabiological-control-agentsinsect-diversitybiodiversityfaunaentomologicalhymenopteranarthropodhexapodhexapodspterygotepterygotesendopterygoteendopterygotesholometabolousholometabolatiny-insectsminute-insectssmall-insectsmicrohymenopteramicro-waspsmicro-parasitoidsmicro-chalcidsmicro-eulophidswing-venationantennaethoraxdiagnostic-characterstaxonomic-keysidentification-keysgeneric-keysNearctic-faunaEuropean-faunaAsian-faunaTibetan-faunaSpanish-faunaDanish-faunapoorly-knowndata-deficientunderstudiedcryptic-diversityhost-unknownbiology-unknownlife-history-unknownecology-unknowndistribution-recordsoccurrence-recordsspecimen-recordsmuseum-recordsdatabase-recordsGBIFCatalogue-of-LifeNCBIWikipediaUniversal-Chalcidoidea-DatabaseKey-to-Nearctic-eulophid-generaliteraturesourcesreferencescitationsbibliographyoriginal-descriptiontype-speciestype-localitynomenclaturesystematic-entomologyhymenopterologychalcidologyparasitologybiological-control-researchintegrated-pest-managementIPMagricultural-entomologyforest-entomologymedical-entomologyveterinary-entomologyurban-entomologyconservation-entomologyinsect-ecologycommunity-ecologypopulation-ecologybehavioral-ecologyevolutionary-ecologyphylogeneticsphylogenymolecular-systematicsDNA-barcodingtaxonomy-and-phylogenyclassificationbiodiversity-informaticsbiogeographyhistorical-biogeographyphylogeographydispersalvicariancespeciationdiversificationevolutionadaptationnatural-selectionsexual-selectionlife-history-evolutionhost-parasitoid-interactionscoevolutiontritrophic-interactionsfood-websecosystem-servicesnatural-enemiesbiocontrolaugmentative-biological-controlclassical-biological-controlconservation-biological-controlinvasive-species-managementpest-managementsustainable-agricultureorganic-farmingagroecologyecosystem-healthenvironmental-monitoringbioindicatorsindicator-speciesclimate-changeglobal-changehabitat-lossfragmentationconservation-statusIUCNred-listnot-evaluatedresearch-needsknowledge-gapsfuture-researchprioritiesspecimen-collectionvoucheringmuseum-collectionsnatural-history-collectionsdigitizationdata-sharingopen-scienceFAIR-principlescitizen-science-contributionscommunity-sciencepublic-engagementscience-communicationeducationoutreachnatural-historyinsect-watchingwasp-watchingnature-observationbiodiversity-appreciationCompsilura concinnata
European Tachinid Fly
Compsilura concinnata is a polyphagous tachinid fly native to Europe that was introduced to North America in 1906 as a biological control agent for the spongy moth (Lymantria dispar). It is an endoparasitoid of insect larvae, developing within the host midgut and eventually killing it. The species attacks over 200 host species across Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, and Hymenoptera, but has proven ineffective against its intended target while causing significant non-target impacts on native Lepidoptera, including giant silk moths and monarch butterflies.
Dione juno
Juno Silverspot, Juno Longwing, Juno Heliconian
Dione juno is a heliconiine butterfly (subfamily Heliconiinae) distributed from the southern United States through Central and South America. The species is a significant agricultural pest of passion fruit (Passiflora spp.), particularly Passiflora edulis, where caterpillars can completely defoliate host plants at high population densities. Adults are characterized by orange and black dorsal wing patterns with distinctive silver spots on the ventral wing surfaces. The species has been extensively studied in Brazil and Central America for its role in agroecosystems and its diverse complex of natural enemies.
Elasmopalpus
lesser cornstalk borer (for E. lignosellus)
Elasmopalpus is a genus of snout moths in the family Pyralidae, subfamily Phycitinae, described by Émile Blanchard in 1852. The genus is restricted to the Americas and currently comprises three species. The type species E. angustellus was described with the genus, while E. corrientellus was added in 1888 and E. lignosellus in 1848. The genus is considered closely related to Ufa. The most well-known species, E. lignosellus (lesser cornstalk borer), is a significant agricultural pest of Poaceae and Fabaceae crops throughout the Americas.
Matsucoccidae
pine bast scales, pine needle scales
Matsucoccidae is a family of scale insects (Hemiptera) comprising over 40 described species in at least 2 genera. The family was historically classified within Margarodidae but was elevated to family status based on distinct morphological and biological characteristics. Members are specialized feeders on conifers in the genus Pinus, with several species serving as economically significant forest pests. The family exhibits complex life cycles involving winged males and sessile females, and produces sex pheromones that function as kairomones attracting diverse predatory insects.
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.
Nabis roseipennis
sculpted damsel bug, damsel bug
Nabis roseipennis is a small predatory true bug in the family Nabidae, commonly known as the sculpted damsel bug. It is one of the most abundant damsel bugs in cotton and soybean agroecosystems across the southeastern United States. The species is univoltine, with adults active from mid-July through September, and functions as a generalist predator of various agricultural pests. It has been extensively studied for its role in biological control and its tritrophic interactions with resistant crop plants.
Uroleucon nigrotuberculatum
red goldenrod aphid
Uroleucon nigrotuberculatum, commonly known as the red goldenrod aphid, is a North American aphid species introduced to Japan. In its native range, it is a specialist feeder on Solidago (goldenrod) species. Following introduction to Japan, this aphid has demonstrated remarkable dietary flexibility, expanding its host range to include multiple exotic plant species beyond its native specialization. The species exhibits complex ecological interactions, including semiochemical-mediated relationships with gall-forming flies and serves as prey for various native parasitoids and predators in its introduced range.