Advances in the study of aphytis (hymenoptera : aphelinidae)

SECTION I INTRODUCTION Fifteen years of Aphytis research - an update, SECTION II BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY Oviposition behaviour of Aphytis, Sources of intraspecific variation in oviposition and host feeding behavior, r and K strategies in parasitoids of diaspidid scale insects: Aphytis vs. endoparasitoids, SECTION III UTILIZATION IN CLASSICAL BIOLOGICAL CONTROL The biological control of olive scale, Parlatoria oleae (Colvee) by two aphelinid parasites, Role of Aphytis roseni DeBach & Gordh in the biological control of the rufous scale, Selenaspidus articulatus (Morgan), Biological control of the citrus snow scale in Florida: evaluation of Aphytis and other natural enemy species, The role of Aphytis in the biological control of armoured scale insects on citrus in South Africa, SECTION IV APHYTIS, PESTICIDES AND GENETIC IMPROVEMENT Delayed effects of malathion on hymenopteran parasites: the role of the scale cover of diaspidid insects, Intraspecific variation in response to pesticides in Aphytis melinus DeBach from California citrus, Results of natural and artificial selection between 1984 and 1991, Selection for organophosphorus pesticide resistance in two species of Aphytis, SECTION V FAUNISTICS, SYSTEMATICS AND PHYLOGENY Morphometric comparisons of Aphytis species in the lingnanensis group, The Aphytis fauna of Australia, Species of Aphytis occurring in the Neotropical region and their role in biological control, The Aphytis fauna of the Afrotropical region, The Aphytis fauna of the Oriental region, Aphytis species occurring in the former USSR and their role in biological control, The Aphytis fauna of the West Palaearctic region, with notes on their role in biological control, SECTION VI CONCLUSION Concluding remarks, Index.

This book is the result of a symposium held at the 19th International Congress of Entomology, Beijing in July 1992 and covers advances made in the study of parasitic wasps of the genus Aphytis over the last 12 years. The book is intended to present a major contribution to our knowledge of a very important group of biological control agents, covering basic ecological and biosystematic aspects, as well as applied utilization in pest management. This important work will be of interest to biological control practitioners, agricultural entomologists and advanced students of biological control, IPM and agricultural entomology.