IDENTIFICATION OF INSECT PARASITOIDS A parasitoid is an insect living on or in the body of another insect, called the host from which it gets protection and food during its immature stage and the adults are free living. In a typical case, eggs are laid on or in the body of the host, the larvae feed on the body contents of the host, pupate either inside or on the host body and emerge as adults. The hosts are not killed immediately. Most of the parasitoids belong to Hymenoptera (90%) and Diptera (10%). type of parasitism Superparasitism:- When more than one adult of the same species attack the host. Eg:-Trichospilus pupivara -opisina arenosella Multiparasitism:- More than one species attack the host Eg:-Bethylids and braconids - o.arenosella Hyperparasitism:- When a parasitiod is attacked by another parasitiod. Eg:- Aphid - Aphidius -asaphess Most insect parasitoid are waps and flies Most of parasitoides belong to -hymenoptera and diptera 1.Hymenoptera The ovipositor originates and protrudes ventrally from the abdomen and is used to insert eggs into their hosts. There are three super families. a) Super Family : ICHNEUMONOIDEA * Possess long and filiform antennae * Wings are veined Example - Family : ICHNEUMONIDAE Family : BRACONIDAE b) Super Family : CHALCIDOIDEA * Mostly smallest parasitoids and gregarious * Antennae geniculate * Abdomen very short or globular with very slender propodeum * Wings without veins example-Family : CHALCIDIDAE Family : TRICHOGRAMMATIDAE Family : EULOPHIDAE c) Super family : BETHYLOIDEA * Smaller than Icheneumonoidea and larger than Chalcidoidea example- Family : BETHYLIDAE * Eg. Parasierola (= Goniozus) nephantidis, a larval parasitoid on O. arenosella 2) Order : DIPTERA Family : TACHINIDAE * Eg. Sturmiopsis inferens, a larval parasitoid on sugarcane shoot borer, Chilo infuscatellus * Large bristle flies * Eggs may be macrotype or microtype * Macrotype eggs are laid directly on the host's body usually attached to the neck region by a glutinous secretion * Eg. Spoggosia bezziana on O. arenosella * Microtype eggs are laid on the host plant and the host larvae feeding on the plant tissue ingest them Predators predators kill and feed on several to many individual prey during their lifetimes. Many species of amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles prey extensively on insects. Predatory beetles, flies, lacewings, true bugs (Order Hemiptera), and wasps feed on various pest insects or mites. Most spiders feed entirely on insects. Predatory mites that feed primarily on pest spider mites include Amblyseius spp., Neoseiulus spp., and the western predatory mite, Galendromus occidentalis