Egg Parasitoids in Biological Control and Integrated Pest Management

As classical biological control agents, egg parasitoids exhibit a greater rate of establishment than other parasitoid guilds, but have not been as effective in suppressing the abundance of the target pest. Mymarid introductions have provided the most spectacular results, particular in the control of invasive cicadellids and curculionids, whereas Trichogramma introductions have very seldom been effective. The success of augmentative biological control with egg parasitoids has been mixed, which highlights the need to know enough about their ecology and behavior to be able to select effective indigenous species, to mass produce them as a quality product at a competitive price, and to formulate and apply them effectively. Programs that combine egg parasitoid augmentation with behavior-modifying infochemicals or compatible insecticides are likely to facilitate successful adoption by end users.