Lysiphlebus fabarum (Marshall)
Taxonomic placing: Insecta, Holometabola, Hymenoptera, Apocrita, Chalcidoidea, Aphidiidae.
Geographical distribution: Hosts: Various aphids (Aphididae).
Morphology: The female is mostly brown-black, about 1.3-1.8 mm in length, the leg segmnets are yellow and black.
Life cycle: A female produces about 120 eggs when parasitizing A. fabae. The eggs are inserted into the host’s hody and the larva develops therein. The host becomes mummified after a few days and completes its development within the mummy. A generation is completed in 2-3 weeks. L. fabarum feeds on the honeydew excreted by the aphid hosts and may mimic attending ants.
Economic importance: An important endoparasitoid of various pestiferous aphids, like Aphis craccivora, Aphis fabae and Toxoptera aurantii. At times this parasitoid may destroy all aphids that infest citrus tress. Mummified aphids can be stored for several weeks at low temperatures for release in the field.
Some pesticides, like abamectin, and the neuroactive insecticide pymetrozine had little effect on L. fabarum, but imidacloprid was more toxic.,
References
Baghery-Matin, S., Sahragard, A. and Rasoolian, G. 2005. Some behavioural characteristics of Lysiphlebus fabarum (Hym: Aphidiidae) parasitizing Aphis fabae (Hom: Aphididae) under Laboratory conditions. Journal of Entomology 2: 64-68.
Matin, S.B., Sahragard, A. and Rasoolian, G. 2009. Some biological parameters of Lysiphlebus fabarum (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) a parasitoid of Aphis fabae (Homoptera: Aphidiidae) under laboratory conditions. Munis Entomology & Zoology 4: 193-200.
Mescheloff, E. and Rosen, D. 1990. Biosystematic studies on the Aphidiidae of Israel (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea). 3. The genera Adialytus and Lysiphlebus. Israel Journal of Entomology 24: 35-50.
Rasekh, A., Michaud, J.P., Kharazi-Pakdel, A., Allahyari, H. 2010. Ant mimicry by an aphid parasitoid, Lysiphlebus fabarum. Journal of Insect Science 10: 126.
Sabahi, Q., Rasekh, A. and Michaud, J.P. 2011. Toxicity of three insecticides to Lysiphlebus fabarum, a parasitoid of the black bean aphid, Aphis fabae. Journal of Insect Science 11: 104.
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