| Trissolcus basalis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Lateral view of female T. basalis. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Platygastridae |
| Genus: | Trissolcus |
| Species: | T. basalis |
| Binomial name | |
| Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston, 1858) | |
| Synonyms | |
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Trissolcus basalis, or the green vegetable bug egg parasitoid, is a parasitoid wasp in the family Platygastridae known primarily for parasitising the horticultural pest Nezara viridula , the green vegetable bug. [1]
Like other species of Trissolcus , T. basalis is small (around 2mm long), mostly black in colour, and females have clubbed antennae. [2] Trissolcus basalis can be separated from other nearctic Trissolcus species by the presence of coriaceous microsculpture on the mesoscutellum, pustulate setal bases, shallowly impressed episternal foveae on the mesopleuron, and an incomplete netrion sulcus. [3]
Trissolcus basalis is a solitary endoparasitoid, completing development within the eggs of pentatomid bugs. [4] Females use their clubbed-shape antennae to palpate eggs laid by their primary host, Nezara viridula . When ready to oviposit, the female faces away from the egg and backs into it, inserting her ovipositor through the wall of the egg. Once finished ovipositing, the female withdraws her ovipositor and wipes the tip across the egg surface to mark the egg. After adults have completed development, males emerge first followed by females a couple of days later. Males mate with females as they emerge from the egg.
In New Zealand, T. basalis has been recorded from non-target hosts including Cermatulus nasalis (Woodward, 1837), Cuspicona simplex Walker, 1867, Green potato bug, Dictyotus caenosus (Westwood, 1837), Glaucias amyoti (Dallas, 1851), Monteithiella humeralis (Walker, 1868), and Oechalia schellenbergii (Guerin, 1831). [5] It has no known natural enemies in New Zealand, although Acroclisoides, a genus containing a species known to hyperparasitise T. basalis in Australia, is known to be present in New Zealand. [6]
Trissolcus basalis is considered to be an effective biocontrol agent in New Zealand, Australia, and the United States, all places where it was deliberately introduced. [2] In 1949 T. basalis was released in New Zealand in an effort to control damage caused to crops including sweet corn and green beans by Nezara viridula . [5] Over 48,000 parasitoids were reared from a shipment of between 200 and 300, and these were released at Awanui, Kaitaia, Paihia, Kawakawa, Whangarei, New Plymouth and Te Kaha (Bay of Plenty). [7]
Chalcid wasps are insects within the superfamily Chalcidoidea, part of the order Hymenoptera. The superfamily contains some 22,500 known species, and an estimated total diversity of more than 500,000 species, meaning the vast majority have yet to be discovered and described. The name "chalcid" is often confused with the name "chalcidid", though the latter refers strictly to one constituent family, the Chalcididae, rather than the superfamily as a whole; accordingly, most recent publications (e.g.,) use the name "chalcidoid" when referring to members of the superfamily.
Sawflies are the insects of the suborder Symphyta within the order Hymenoptera alongside ants, bees and wasps. The common name comes from the saw-like appearance of the ovipositor, which the females use to cut into the plants where they lay their eggs. The name is associated especially with the Tenthredinoidea, by far the largest superfamily in the suborder, with about 7,000 known species; in the entire suborder, there are 8,000 described species in more than 800 genera. Symphyta is paraphyletic, consisting of several basal groups within the order Hymenoptera, each one rooted inside the previous group, ending with the Apocrita which are not sawflies.
The Apocrita are a suborder of insects in the order Hymenoptera. It includes wasps, bees, and ants, and consists of many families. It contains the most advanced hymenopterans and is distinguished from Symphyta by the narrow "waist" (petiole) formed between the first two segments of the actual abdomen; the first abdominal segment is fused to the thorax, and is called the propodeum. Therefore, it is general practice, when discussing the body of an apocritan in a technical sense, to refer to the mesosoma and metasoma rather than the "thorax" and "abdomen", respectively. The evolution of a constricted waist was an important adaption for the parasitoid lifestyle of the ancestral apocritan, allowing more maneuverability of the female's ovipositor. The ovipositor either extends freely or is retracted, and may be developed into a stinger for both defense and paralyzing prey. Larvae are legless and blind, and either feed inside a host or in a nest cell provisioned by their mothers.
The hymenopteran family Platygastridae is a large group of exclusively parasitoid wasps, mostly very small (1–2 mm), black, and shining, with geniculate (elbowed) antennae that have an eight-segmented flagellum. The wings sometimes lack venation, though they may have slight fringes of setae.
The green stink bug or green soldier bug is a stink bug of the family Pentatomidae.
The brown marmorated stink bug is an insect in the family Pentatomidae, native to China, Japan, Korea and other Asian regions. In September 1998 it was collected in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where it is believed to have been accidentally introduced. The nymphs and adults of the brown marmorated stink bug feed on over 100 species of plants, including many agricultural crops, and by 2010–11 had become a season-long pest in orchards in the Eastern United States. In 2010, in the Mid-Atlantic United States, $37 million in apple crops were lost, and some stone fruit growers lost more than 90% of their crops. It is now established in many parts of North America, and has recently become established in Europe and South America.
Xanthocryptus novozealandicus, the lemon tree borer parasite, is a wasp in the family Ichneumonidae. It is a native insect of New Zealand. It is also found in Australia and New Guinea. Females hunt for larvae of wood-boring beetles around March, including the lemon tree borer, a native cerambycid that tunnels into citrus trees, grapes and many native species. When a suitable host is found, the female pushes her ovipositor through the wood and injects her eggs into the grub. This has the incidental benefit of helping to control some pests. X. novozealandicus prefers to prey on second year lemon tree borer larvae. This specific parasite prefers to prey on larger second year larvae due to its larger size.
Nezara viridula, commonly known as the southern green stink bug (USA), southern green shield bug (UK) or green vegetable bug, is a plant-feeding stink bug. Believed to have originated in Ethiopia, it can now be found around the world. Because of its preference for certain species of legumes, such as beans and soybeans, it is an economically important pest on such crops.
Gymnosoma clavatum is a species of tachinid flies in the genus Gymnosoma of the family Tachinidae.
Trichopoda pennipes, common name feather-legged fly, is a fly in the family Tachinidae.
Rhyssa persuasoria, also known as the sabre wasp, is a species belonging to the family Ichneumonidae subfamily Rhyssinae. Members of this subfamily, including those of Rhyssa and the allied Megarhyssa, are also known collectively as giant ichneumonid wasps or giant ichneumons.
Coleotichus blackburniae is a species of insect in the family Scutelleridae, the jewel bugs. It is commonly known as the Koa bug or the Koa shield bug. It has been dubbed the stinkless stink bug for its lack of the malodorous defensive chemicals present in other heteropterans. It is Hawaii's largest endemic true bug.
Tessaratomidae is a family of true bugs. It contains about 240 species of large bugs divided into 3 subfamilies and 56 genera.
Trissolcus japonicus, the samurai wasp, is a parasitoid wasp species in the family Scelionidae, native to east Asia but now found in Europe, North America, and Chile. It is chiefly known for parasitizing Halyomorpha halys. It deposits eggs into the eggs of the stink bug, and as the wasp larvae develop, they kill the stink bug eggs. A single adult wasp emerges from each stink bug egg.
Euthyrhynchus floridanus, the Florida predatory stink bug, is a species of carnivorous shield bug in the family Pentatomidae, the only species in the genus Euthyrhynchus. It is native to the hottest parts of the southeastern United States and is considered beneficial because it feeds on many species of pest insects. They also feed on things such as grasshoppers and other small insects. This species also hunts in a pack, with up to twelve.
Monteithiella humeralis, commonly known as the pittosporum shield bug is a species of herbivorous shield bug native to Australia and introduced in New Zealand. As its common name suggests, it is most commonly observed feeding on Pittosporum plants.
Pachyrhamma edwardsii is a species of wētā, in the family Rhaphidophoridae, endemic to New Zealand. This species is found in caves, or large cavities where there is high humidity and little plant or animal life.
Trissolcus oenone is a parasitoid wasp in the family Platygastridae, native to Australia and New Zealand. It parasitises the eggs of stink bugs (Pentatomidae), but little is known about its biology.
Dictyotus caenosus, commonly known as the brown shield bug, is an Australian species of stink bug that has been introduced into New Zealand and New Caledonia.
Cuspicona simplex, commonly known as the green potato bug, is a herbivorous species of stink bug native to Australia and introduced to New Zealand. It feeds on nightshades, and is primarily known as a pest of potatoes, tomatoes, and other crops in the nightshade family.