Beneficial Species Profile

Photo credit: Peggy Greb, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org

Common Name: Trichogramma Wasp

Scientific Name: Trichogramm spp.

Order and Family: Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae

Size and Appearance: Extremely tiny wasp with a three-segmented tarsi (front “foot” of insect). Short antennae with 7 or fewer segments. Hard to see with the naked eye. Similar to a tiny Drosophila spp., but with two sets of wings.

Length (mm) Appearance Egg Almost unable to see by the <1mm eye; multiple eggs are laid inside of other insect species’ eggs Larva/Nymph Small and worm or maggot- <1mm like; eats its way out of the parasitized egg Adult Extremely tiny wasp with a 1mm or less three-segmented tarsi; short antennae with 7 or fewer segments; 2 sets of wings Pupa (if applicable) An extremely tiny silken <1mm cocoon

Type of feeder (Chewing, sucking, etc.): Chewing mouthparts as a larva; siphoning as an adult

Host/s: Eggs of other insects host the eggs and larvae; adults aren’t found in the wild frequently and are often introduced on purpose for biological control.

Description of Benefits (predator, parasitoid, pollinator, etc.): Larvae are egg parasites, frequently used in biological control; adults lay eggs in foliage-damaging caterpillars before the plant is destroyed and also help pollinate.

References:

Borror, D. J., & White, R. E. (1970). A field Guide to Insects of North America (The Peterson Field Guide Series). New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Cranshaw, W., & Kondratieff, B. C. (2006). Guide to Colorado Insects. Englewood, CO: Westcliffe.

Milne, L. J., & Milne, M. J. (1980). The Audubon Society field guide to North American insects and spiders. New York: Knopf.

Triplehorn, C. A., Johnson, N. F., & Borror, D. J. (2005). Borror and DeLong's introduction to the study of insects (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thompson Brooks/Cole.

Williams, M. (2008, September/October). Systematic Entomology Lecture. Lecture presented at Auburn University, Auburn, AL.