''Encarsia'' is a large genus of minute

parasitic wasps Parasitoid wasps are a large group of hymenopteran superfamilies, with all but the wood wasps (Orussoidea) being in the wasp-waisted Apocrita. As parasitoids, they lay their eggs on or in the bodies of other arthropods, sooner or later causin ...

of the family

Aphelinidae The Aphelinidae are a moderate-sized family of tiny parasitic wasps, with about 1100 described species in some 28 genera. These minute insects are challenging to study, as they deteriorate rapidly after death unless extreme care is taken (e.g., p ...

. The genus is very diverse with currently about 400 described species and worldwide distribution. Noyes, J. S. 2003
Universal Chalcidoidea database
/ref> The number of existing species is expected to be several times higher because many species are still undescribed.Heraty, J. M., et al. (2008) Systematics and Biology of ''Encarsia''. Chapter 4, pp. 71-87 In: Gould, J., et al. (Eds), In: Classical Biological Control of ''Bemisia tabaci'' in the United States. A review of interagency research and implementation. Progress in Biological Control 4. Springer Science and Business Media B. V. 1-343. ''Encarsia'' is a very complex genus, with specimens showing both inter- and intra-specific variations, making morphological classification difficult. The adult wasps, tiny insects about 1 or 2 millimeters in size, are primarily

parasitoid In evolutionary ecology, a parasitoid is an organism that lives in close association with its host (biology), host at the host's expense, eventually resulting in the death of the host. Parasitoidism is one of six major evolutionarily stable str ...

s of sessile stages of Sternorrhyncha, in particular

whiteflies Whiteflies are Hemipterans that typically feed on the undersides of plant leaves. They comprise the family Aleyrodidae, the only family in the superfamily Aleyrodoidea. More than 1550 species have been described. Description and taxonomy The ...

(Aleyrodidae) and

scale insect Scale insects are small insects of the order Hemiptera, suborder Sternorrhyncha. Of dramatically variable appearance and extreme sexual dimorphism, they comprise the infraorder Coccomorpha which is considered a more convenient grouping than the ...

s (Diaspididae). A few species are known to parasitize aphids, eggs of shield-back bugs (Plataspidae), and eggs of

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

. Females mostly develop as primary endoparasitoids, and males are commonly hyperparasitoids of the same or other species. This so-called heteronomy, a sexually dimorphic host relationship, occurs in quite a few species. Species of ''Encarsia'' are of particular interest because of their economic importance for

biological pest control Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, such as insects, mites, weeds, and plant diseases, using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or other natural mechanisms, but typically also invo ...

, especially in horticulture and for crops grown under glass. Many seem to be extremely host-specific which is an important trait for an acceptable and effective bio-control agent.

Species used in biological control

* ''

Encarsia berlesei ''Encarsia'' is a large genus of minute parasitic wasps of the family Aphelinidae. The genus is very diverse with currently about 400 described species and worldwide distribution. Noyes, J. S. 2003Universal Chalcidoidea database/ref> The number ...

'' on white peach scale (''

Pseudaulacaspis pentagona ''Pseudaulacaspis pentagona'', the white peach scale or mulberry scale, is a species of armoured scale insect in the family Diaspididae. This scale infests over 100 different genera of plants including many fruit trees and ornamentals. Descript ...

'') * ''

Encarsia bimaculata ''Encarsia'' is a large genus of minute parasitic wasps of the family Aphelinidae. The genus is very diverse with currently about 400 described species and worldwide distribution. Noyes, J. S. 2003Universal Chalcidoidea database/ref> The number ...

'' on sweet potato whitefly ('' Bemisia tabaci'') * ''

Encarsia clypealis ''Encarsia'' is a large genus of minute parasitic wasps of the family Aphelinidae. The genus is very diverse with currently about 400 described species and worldwide distribution. Noyes, J. S. 2003Universal Chalcidoidea database/ref> The number ...

'' on citrus blackfly (''

Aleurocanthus woglumi ''Aleurocanthus woglumi'' is a species of whitefly in the family Aleyrodidae. It is a pest of citrus crops, and is commonly known as the citrus blackfly because of its slate-blue colour. It originated in Asia, but has spread to other parts of th ...

'') * '' Encarsia formosa'' on greenhouse whitefly ('' Trialeurodes vaporariorum'') * '' Encarsia harrisoni'' on long mussel scale (''Lepidosaphes gloverii'') * ''

Encarsia inaron ''Encarsia inaron'' is a parasitoid wasp used in the control of ash whitefly, '' Siphoninus phillyreae''. The ash whitefly is an insect from Europe that feeds on the sap of plants, and which has become a pest in North America. ''E. inaron'' ...

'' on cabbage whitefly (''

Aleyrodes proletella The Cabbage Whitefly (''Aleyrodes proletella'') is a species of whitefly from the Aleyrodidae family. It has a global distribution. Adults are 1,5 mm in length. They have white wings with four gray spots. The wings are white due to a pow ...

'') and ash whitefly (''

Siphoninus phillyreae The ash whitefly (''Siphoninus phillyreae'') is a species of whitefly native to western Eurasia, India and North Africa but also introduced to North America. It is known in agriculture as a pest species of fruit trees, including pomegranates, pea ...

'') * ''

Encarsia lahorensis ''Encarsia'' is a large genus of minute parasitic wasps of the family Aphelinidae. The genus is very diverse with currently about 400 described species and worldwide distribution. Noyes, J. S. 2003Universal Chalcidoidea database/ref> The number ...

'' on citrus whitefly (''Dialeurodes citri'') * ''

Encarsia lutea ''Encarsia'' is a large genus of minute parasitic wasps of the family Aphelinidae. The genus is very diverse with currently about 400 described species and worldwide distribution. Noyes, J. S. 2003Universal Chalcidoidea database/ref> The number ...

'' on

silverleaf whitefly The silverleaf whitefly (''Bemisia tabaci'', also informally referred to as the sweet potato whitefly) is one of several species of whitefly that are currently important agricultural pests. A review in 2011 concluded that the silverleaf whitefly ...

('' Bemisia tabaci''/''Bemisia argentifolii'') and

greenhouse whitefly ''Trialeurodes vaporariorum'', commonly known as the glasshouse whitefly or greenhouse whitefly, is an insect that inhabits the world's temperate regions. Like various other whiteflies, it is a primary insect pest of many fruit, vegetable and or ...

(''Trialeurodes vaporariorum'') * ''

Encarsia pergandiella ''Encarsia'' is a large genus of minute parasitic wasps of the family Aphelinidae. The genus is very diverse with currently about 400 described species and worldwide distribution. Noyes, J. S. 2003Universal Chalcidoidea database/ref> The number ...

'' on sweet potato whitefly (''Bemisia tabaci'') * ''

Encarsia perniciosi ''Encarsia perniciosi'' is a tiny parasitic wasp, a parasitoid of the California red scale (''Aonidiella aurantii'') and the San Jose scale (''Quadraspidiotus perniciosus'') on citrus in California. Description ''Encarsia perniciosi'' is a ti ...

'' on San Jose scale (''

Quadraspidiotus perniciosus The San Jose scale (''Quadraspidiotus perniciosus'') is a hemipterous insect in the family Diaspididae. It is an agricultural pest as it causes damage and crop losses to many fruit crops. In 1914, ''Q. perniciosus'' became the first documented ...

'') * ''

Encarsia perplexa ''Encarsia perplexa'' is a tiny parasitic wasp, a parasitoid of the citrus blackfly, ''Aleurocanthus woglumi'', which is a global pest of citrus trees. It was originally misidentified as ''Encarsia opulenta'', but was recorded as a new species ...

'' (syn. ''Encarsia opulenta'') on citrus blackfly (''Aleurocanthus woglumi'') * ''

Encarsia sophia ''Encarsia'' is a large genus of minute parasitic wasps of the family Aphelinidae. The genus is very diverse with currently about 400 described species and worldwide distribution. Noyes, J. S. 2003Universal Chalcidoidea database/ref> The number ...

'' on papaya whitefly (''Trialeurodes variabilis'') and sweet potato whitefly (''Bemisia tabaci'')Luo, C. and T. X. Liu. (2011)
Fitness of ''Encarsia sophia'' (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) parasitizing ''Trialeurodes vaporariorum'' and ''Bemisia tabaci'' (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae).
''Insect Science'' 18(1), 84-91. * '' Encarsia tricolor'' on cabbage whitefly (''Aleyrodes proletella'')

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4038048 Aphelinidae Hymenoptera genera