Ibalia leucospoides

Distribution	Holarctic region; introduced to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa (1995-2007) to control Sirex noctilio a pest in Pine plantations (Pinus radiata).
Biology	Parasitoids of woodwasps: Sirex, Urocerus and Xeris (Siricidae) living in conifers. Males mate with females while they are laying eggs. The female inserts her ovipositor down the tunnel bored in Pine trees by the host woodwasp larva, to lay an egg either into the egg of the host or into the young host larva. On hatching the ibaliid wasp larva emerges from the body of the host and feeds externally.
References	Foelker, C. J., Standley, C. R., Fierke, M. K., Parry, D. and Whipps, C. M. 2015. Host tissue identification for cryptic hymenopteran parasitoids associated with Sirex noctilio. Agricultural and Forest Entomology. doi: 10.1111/afe.12137 Hurley B.P., Slippers, B. & Wingfield, M.J. 2007. A comparison of control results for the alien invasive woodwasp, Sirex noctilio, in the southern hemisphere. Agricultural and Forest Entomology 9: 159–171. Hurley, B.P., Fitza, K.N., Wingfield, M.J. and Slippers, B. 2020. Sequence data reflect the introduction pathways of the Sirex woodwasp parasitoid, Ibalia leucospoides (Ibaliidae, Hymenoptera). Agricultural and Forest Entomology 22: 129-135. https://doi.org/10.1111/afe.12367 van Noort, S. & Picker, M. 2011. Wasps, Bees, Ants. Class Insecta, Order Hymenoptera. Pp 140-146. In: Picker, M. & Griffiths, C. (eds.) Alien & Invasive Animals. A South African perspective. Struik Nature.
Credits	Photographs © Simon van Noort (Iziko Museums of South Africa). Specimens donated by Brett Hurley (FABI, Pretoria). Matt Buffington (Systematic Entomology Laboratory, USDA/ARS) and Mattias Forshage (Swedish Museum of Natural History) both played an integral role in the development of the Cynipoidea pages.

Ibalia leucospoides (Hochenwarth)

Credits