Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Encarsia Förster 1878
Numbers
~50 spp. in our area, ~400 spp. worldwide
(1)
Plus several introduced species as biocontrols.
Food
Primary parasitoids mostly of whiteflies (Aleyrodidae) and scale insects (Diaspididae). A few attack other insects, such as aphids, lepidopteran eggs, and shield-back bugs (Plataspidae).
Remarks
Used in biocontrol.
An
introduced species [pdf] (
Encarsia perplexa) to combat the citrus blackfly
Encarsia inaron introduced to fight the ash whitefly.
And
Encarsia formosa introduced to fight greenhouse whiteflies.
Internet References
Dugesiana. Especies de
Encarsia (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) que parasitan
Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) en Tamaulipas y Morelos, México, y descripción de una especie nueva