''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 ca ...

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., ...

. 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 The Sternorrhyncha suborder of the Hemiptera contains the aphids, whitefly, whiteflies, and scale insects, groups which were traditionally included in the now-obsolete order "Homoptera". The name "Sternorrhyncha" refers to the rearward position of ...

, 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 A ...

(Aleyrodidae) and

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

s (Diaspididae). A few species are known to parasitize

aphid Aphids are small sap-sucking insects in the Taxonomic rank, family Aphididae. Common names include greenfly and blackfly, although individuals within a species can vary widely in color. The group includes the fluffy white Eriosomatinae, woolly ...

s, eggs of shield-back bugs (Plataspidae), and eggs of

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organ ...

. 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, whether pest animals such as insects and mites, weeds, or pathogens affecting animals or plants by using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or ot ...

, 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'' 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'' on sweet potato whitefly (''

Bemisia tabaci 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 ...

'') * '' Encarsia clypealis'' 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 t ...

'') * ''

Encarsia formosa ''Encarsia formosa'' is a species of chalcidoid wasp and a well known parasitoid of greenhouse whitefly, one of the first to be used commercially for biological pest control, from the 1920s. Its use fell with commercial pesticides in the 1940s, ...

'' on greenhouse whitefly (''

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

'') * '' Encarsia harrisoni'' on long mussel scale (''Lepidosaphes gloverii'') * '' Encarsia inaron'' on cabbage whitefly ('' Aleyrodes proletella'') and ash whitefly ('' Siphoninus phillyreae'') * '' Encarsia lahorensis'' on citrus whitefly (''Dialeurodes citri'') * '' Encarsia lutea'' 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 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'' on sweet potato whitefly (''Bemisia tabaci'') * '' Encarsia perniciosi'' on San Jose scale ('' Quadraspidiotus perniciosus'') * '' Encarsia perplexa'' (syn. ''Encarsia opulenta'') on citrus blackfly (''Aleurocanthus woglumi'') * '' Encarsia sophia'' 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