Encarsia inaron
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| Encarsia inaron | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Aphelinidae |
| Subfamily: | Coccophaginae |
| Genus: | Encarsia |
| Species: | E. inaron |
| Binomial name | |
| Encarsia inaron (Walker, 1839) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Aphelinus inaron Walker, 1839[1] | |
Encarsia inaron is a parasitoid wasp used in the control of ash whitefly, Siphoninus phillyreae. The ash whitefly is an insect from Europe that feeds on the sap of plants, and which has become a pest in North America.[3][4] E. inaron was acquired from Italy and Israel and brought to California in 1989.[3]
Encarsia inaron are very tiny wasps measuring approximately 0.5 millimetres (0.020 in), thus requiring a magnifying glass for better visibility. Unlike like most wasps, they do not have a stinger. Males and females can be distinguished based on their body color patterns. Both adult males and females possess black head and eyes and clear wings, but females display a yellow abdomen while males display a black one.[3]
Habitat
These wasps are mostly found in woody shrubs and trees.[4]