Parasitoids
differ from other parasitic organisms in that they kill their hosts as a
normal part of their life cycle. Because many are quite small they
often go unnoticed, however, their degree of importance in ecosystems
far outweighs their diminutive size. Parasitoids can be important for
controlling populations of their hosts, and as such they can be great
drivers of evolution of defensive behaviors and forms:
Because
parasitoid wasps are so effective at reducing populations of their
hosts, they can be very useful for providing control of pest species.
When one organism is used to control another, this is termed biological
control. Current research is investigating certain parasitoid wasps as
potential biological control control agents for the brown marmorated
stink bug.
The
brown marmorated stink bug is a familiar pest because of its annoying
habit of hiding out in houses during the winter months. Unknown to many, it causes huge
losses in agricultural systems and negatively affects the environment;
farmers must spray more pesticides to control stink bugs. Researchers
hope parasitoid wasps in the genus Trissolcus (a relative of the Telenomus wasp pictured above)
will be able to provide control of the brown marmorated stink bug,
without being a hazard for native stink bugs and ecosystem function. Because of the close relationship that many parasitoids share with their hosts, many will not attack other species.
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Halyomorpha halys, the brown marmorated stink bug. Originally from Asia, this insect is a serious agricultural pest and a nuisance pest in buildings. It is broadly distributed and has a growing range in the U.S. and worldwide. |
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