Wasp

Beneficial organism - Whitefly parasitoids

(header image: female parasite of encarsia formosa laying eggs in a whitefly ; author: Daumal.J, ephytia, INRA; link to website:http://ephytia.inra.fr/fr/C/11525/hypp-Les-hymenopteres-parasitoides )

Encarsia formosa is a very small species of hymenopteraninsect in the Aphelinidae family and a well-known whitefly parasitoid. The tiny females (around 0.6 mm long) are black with a yellow abdomen and opalescent wings. Males, which are slightly larger and completely black, are much rarer than females.