''Cotesia'' is a genus of braconid wasps first described by Peter Cameron in 1891. Some species parasitize caterpillars of species considered

pest Pest or The Pest may refer to: Science and medicine * Pest (organism), an animal or plant deemed to be detrimental to humans or human concerns ** Weed, a plant considered undesirable * Infectious disease, an illness resulting from an infection ** ...

s, and are used as

biocontrol Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, such as insects, mites, weeds, and plant diseases, using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or other natural mechanisms, but typically also i ...

agents. ''

Cotesia congregata ''Cotesia congregata'' is a parasitoid wasp of the genus ''Cotesia''. The genus is particularly noted for its use of polydnaviruses. Parasitoids are distinct from true parasites in that a parasitoid will ultimately kill its host or otherwise ste ...

'' parasitizes the

tomato The tomato is the edible berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to the Spanish word , ...

and the tobacco hornworms. '' C. glomerata'' and '' C. rubecula'' feed on the cabbage white and other

white butterfly White butterfly may refer to: ;Biology: * ''Pierinae'', a subfamily of butterflies commonly called the whites * ''Pieris'', a genus of Pierinae commonly called the whites or garden whites * ''Appias'', another genus of Pierinae sometimes called the ...

caterpillars. '' C. gonopterygis'' and '' C. risilis'' are host-specific and parasitize the

common brimstone ''Gonepteryx rhamni'' (known as the common brimstone) is a butterfly of the family Pieridae. It lives throughout the Palearctic zone and is commonly found across Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Across much of its range, it is the only species ...

.Lozan, Aurel; Spitzer, Karel; Jaroš, Josef (2012-06-01)
"Isolated peat bog habitats and their food connections: parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea) and their lepidopteran hosts"
''Journal of Insect Conservation''. 16 (3): 391–397.

ISSN An International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is an eight-digit serial number used to uniquely identify a serial publication, such as a magazine. The ISSN is especially helpful in distinguishing between serials with the same title. ISSNs ...

br>1366-638X
doibr>10.1007/s10841-011-9425-4
The wasp '' C. melanoscelus'' parasitizes the

caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larva, larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterfly, butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawfly ...

of the

spongy moth ''Lymantria dispar'', also known as the gypsy moth or the spongy moth, is a species of moth in the family Erebidae. ''Lymantria dispar'' is subdivided into several subspecies, with subspecies such as ''L. d. dispar'' and ''L. d. japonica'' be ...

. It, and the spongy moth, are native to Europe. The spongy moth is an invasive species in North America, and ''C. melanoscelus'' has been imported as a biocontrol of the moth. '' Cotesia icipe'' is a parasitoid of '' Spodoptera littoralis'' and

beet armyworm The beet armyworm or small mottled willow moth (''Spodoptera exigua'') is one of the best-known agricultural pest insects. It is also known as the asparagus fern caterpillar. It is native to Asia, but has been introduced worldwide and is now foun ...

(''Spodoptera exigua'') which are pests of

amaranth ''Amaranthus'' is a cosmopolitan genus of annual or short-lived perennial plants collectively known as amaranths. Some amaranth species are cultivated as leaf vegetables, pseudocereals, and ornamental plants. Catkin-like cymes of densely ...

crops.

Species

List of ''Cotesia'' species File:HYME Braconidae Cotesia ruficrus.png, ''Cotesia ruficrus'' illustrated by

Des Helmore Desmond W. Helmore (born 1940) is a New Zealand artist and illustrator, known both for his fine art and for his scientific work depicting insects, not least illustrating the New Zealand Arthropod Collection. One of the country's most noted and ...

File:Braconidae - Cotesia glomerata - Cocoons.JPG, ''Cotesia'' sp. cocoons File:Cotesia cocoons.jpg, ''Cotesia'' sp. cocoons

References

External links

Preliminary evolutionary relationships within the parasitoid wasp genus ''Cotesia''
*

Microgastrinae Braconidae genera Articles containing video clips {{Ichneumonoidea-stub

Species

See also

References

External links