Abstract
Dr. Stary has confirmed the identification of specimens reared from Aphis gossypii on cotton, from Rhopalosiphum maidis Fitch from sorghum, and Aphis crassivora Kock from Gliricidia sepium. The hyperparasite Pachyneuron aphidis Bouche (det. B. P. Subba Rao, Commonwealth Institute of Entomology), also emerged from the same collections of mummified aphids on Ixora, cotton and Glyricidia. Mummified aphids parasitised by A. mali are small and often located away from colonies of live aphids and could have been overlooked by previous investigators. However, mummies of L. testacipes are readily noted and not easily overlooked. Therefore, prior to 1977, this parasite was absent or extremely scarce in Trinidad. As fresh vegetables have been imported in increased quantities from the USA and elsewhere in the Caribbean over the past two decades, it is probable that L. testacipes and its hyperparasite gained entry into Trinidad by this route. Its abundance since 1969 fits the view that it was absent during earlier investigations.
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