Encarsia inaron (Walker)
Systematic position: Insecta , Holometabola, Hymenoptera, Apocryta, Chalcidoidea, Aphelinidae.
Morphology: Males and females have black heads and thoraces, and the antennae and legs are yellow. Females differ from males by having a yellow abdomen, whereas that of males is black. Body about 0.5 mm in length.
Life history: A parasitoid of various whiteflies, especially of the third and fourth instar ash whitefly Siphoninus phillyreae. Attacked hosts become banana-shaped and translucent in color. At eclosion the parasitoid chews a round hole to escape from the host’s body. Development at 25ºC requires about 3 weeks, and adults live another two to three weeks; females lay about 160 eggs each.
Economic importance: This parasitoid was collected in Italy and Israel and introduced into California in 1989, in order to control the ash whitefly. It became established and within two years it virtually eliminated the pest.
References
Dreistadt, S.H. and Flint, M.L. 1995. Ash whitefly (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) overwintering and biological control by Encarsia inaron (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) in northern California. Environmental Entomology 24: 459–464.
Pickett, C.H. (and 6 co-authors). 1996. Establishment of the ash whitefly parasitoid Encarsia inaron (Walker) and its economic benefit to ornamental street trees in California. Biological Control 6: 260-272.
Polaszek, A., S. Abd-Rabou & J. Huang. 1999. The Egyptian species of Encarsia (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae): a preliminary review. Zoologische Mededelingen Leiden 73: 131-163.
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