Chapter 9
Aphid Parasitoids: Aphidiinae (Hym.,
Braconidae)
Ehsan Rakhshani and Petr Starý
9.1 Introduction
As a valuable ecological model, the aphid parasitoids (Hymenoptera, Braconidae,
Aphidiinae) are among the well known group of insects, exclusively associating with
the aphids (Hemiptera, Aphididae). They are a small group of parasitic wasps
comprises a number 420–505 species worldwide, mainly distributed in the Holarctic
region (Žikić et al. 2017). Among the aphid natural enemies, the Aphidiinae have an
important position as biological control agents, which are targeted for both conservation programs and introduction into the new areas for control of invasive pest
aphids. Some species are mass reared as commercial products and successfully used
for control of important aphids on protected crops. The aphid parasitoids can be
found both in natural and agricultural ecosystems, in association with their preferred
host aphids. It is believed the aphid parasitoids co-evolved by the divergence of their
respective host aphids (Starý 1981), as strictly specific to generalist parasitoids.
Species in both confidences were used as successful biological control agents. A
complex trophic web is suggested for community structure of insects associated with
aphids including parasitoids, predators and pathogens may have in direct and
indirect interactions (van Veen et al. 2008).
In biological view, Aphidiine are solitary koinobiont endoparasitoids. The foraging female lays a single egg inside the body of host aphid, which manifest various
ovipositing behavior and structure adaptations on its ovipositor depending on the
route of co-evolution. The ovarian fluid, as well as the venom are also injected to
E. Rakhshani (*)
Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
e-mail: rakhshani@uoz.ac.ir
P. Starý
Institute of Entomology, Biology Center AVCR, České Budejovice, Czech Republic
e-mail: stary@entu.cas.cz
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
J. Karimi, H. Madadi (eds.), Biological Control of Insect and Mite Pests in Iran,
Progress in Biological Control 18, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63990-7_9
333
Aphid Parasitoids: Aphidiinae (Hym.,
Braconidae)
Ehsan Rakhshani and Petr Starý
9.1 Introduction
As a valuable ecological model, the aphid parasitoids (Hymenoptera, Braconidae,
Aphidiinae) are among the well known group of insects, exclusively associating with
the aphids (Hemiptera, Aphididae). They are a small group of parasitic wasps
comprises a number 420–505 species worldwide, mainly distributed in the Holarctic
region (Žikić et al. 2017). Among the aphid natural enemies, the Aphidiinae have an
important position as biological control agents, which are targeted for both conservation programs and introduction into the new areas for control of invasive pest
aphids. Some species are mass reared as commercial products and successfully used
for control of important aphids on protected crops. The aphid parasitoids can be
found both in natural and agricultural ecosystems, in association with their preferred
host aphids. It is believed the aphid parasitoids co-evolved by the divergence of their
respective host aphids (Starý 1981), as strictly specific to generalist parasitoids.
Species in both confidences were used as successful biological control agents. A
complex trophic web is suggested for community structure of insects associated with
aphids including parasitoids, predators and pathogens may have in direct and
indirect interactions (van Veen et al. 2008).
In biological view, Aphidiine are solitary koinobiont endoparasitoids. The foraging female lays a single egg inside the body of host aphid, which manifest various
ovipositing behavior and structure adaptations on its ovipositor depending on the
route of co-evolution. The ovarian fluid, as well as the venom are also injected to
E. Rakhshani (*)
Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
e-mail: rakhshani@uoz.ac.ir
P. Starý
Institute of Entomology, Biology Center AVCR, České Budejovice, Czech Republic
e-mail: stary@entu.cas.cz
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
J. Karimi, H. Madadi (eds.), Biological Control of Insect and Mite Pests in Iran,
Progress in Biological Control 18, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63990-7_9
333