Trichogramma
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230+, see text |
The wasps of genus Trichogramma are some of the most widely-studied agents of biological control in the field of entomology. Trichogramma wasps are tiny Hymenopteran insects, measuring 1 millimeter in length or less, that parasitize the eggs of many types of agricultural pest insects. They are easy to rear and release in fields suffering from pest outbreaks.
There are over 230 species of Trichogramma, and most are so similar that advanced expertise is required to tell them apart. Genetic studies are ongoing. The wasps are currently used to control at least 28 species of insect pest, including the cotton bollworm, codling moth, and corn borer. Female wasps inject their own eggs into the egg of the pest, and her larvae consume the embryo and other contents of the egg.
