Peculiarities of parasitism of Hymenoptera: Eulophidae in the Middle Volga Region

Abstract

This paper describes all the detected forms of parasitism of eulophid wasps in the Middle Volga Region, based on many years of study of this important group of Hymenoptera and significant factual material. Hymenoptera: Eulophidae is a family of relatively small (no more than 5 mm, usually 1,52 mm) parasitic hymenoptera; its larvae develop on the phytophages of various groups (primarily lepidopterans, Diptera, coleoptera). Many species of herbivorous insects that are infected with eulofids are pests in forestry and agriculture, since they are used as fodder plants of various economically important families. A special group of phytophages are leafminers, larvae of which develop secretly in plant tissues (for example, leaf mesophyll), often forming species-specific damage mines. Eulophid wasps are able to infect leafminers that are inside leafmine and not accessible to other types of entomophages, thereby providing biological protection to cultural and wild plants. During the work parasitic development of more than 200 species of eulophid wasps was analyzed. Representatives of 4 subfamilies Eulophidae (Euderinae, Eulophinae, Entedoninae and Tetrastichinae), including more than 40 genera, have been identified in the Middle Volga Region.