Pests cause economic damage to crops and stored products, while vectors are responsible for the transmission of disease-causing agents in human beings and livestock. Although the application of synthetic pesticides in agriculture has given immediate relief, it has also caused well-known side effects, leading to a general consensus among entomologists and agriculturists to shift towards other ecofriendly pest management. Insect natural enemies consisting of predators, parasitoids, and pathogens have attracted the attention of scientists across the globe. These natural enemies exist in agroecosystems and suppress the populations of pests. Parasitoids are farmers’ friends and the most successful group of natural enemies. Highly specialised in their host choice, the female parasitoid searches for a suitable host to lay eggs and larvae in, on or near the hosts. Exploiting this potency of parasitoids may yield successful results in controlling notorious pests in an ecofriendly way. This book covers information on the important biocontrol agents effective in pest suppression. It starts with insect parasitic groups followed by specific groups of parasitoids. It is hoped that the book presents a comprehensive account of beneficial parasitoirds, and will be useful to undergraduate and postgraduate students of Entomology, Biological Control, Plant Protection, Agricultural Zoology, and Zoology, besides those involved in competitive examinations and policy planning. Features: Each chapter has been written by very experienced specialists Every chapter includes Learning Objectives and Points to Remember This book offers comprehensive knowledge of parasitoids and their application in pest management in a rational way

Six new species of Zaischnopsis Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) from China are described, Zaischnopsis covid Jiang & Peng sp. nov., Zaischnopsis fuscolivida Tang & Peng sp. nov., Zaischnopsis lii Jiang & Peng sp. nov., Zaischnopsis pacis Jiang & Peng sp. nov., Zaischnopsis campaniformis Tang & Peng sp. nov., and Zaischnopsis zhongi Jiang & Peng sp. nov. All the new species are described and illustrated based on females, and partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences are provided for the six new species as well as for the previously described Z. fumosa Peng & Xiang. Females of all the species of Zaischnopsis recorded from China are differentiated in a key.

This publication is the result of a course on identification of Hymenoptera given three times since 1985 at the Centre for Land and Biological Resources Research. The considerable interest in these courses indicated the need for a comprehensive identification guide to all extant families of Hymenoptera. The main emphasis is on family identification using the keys, which are complemented by family sketches. The sketches include a taxonomic diagnosis to supplement the keys, a summary of the biology, the size and distribution, and important literature references.