Meteorus (genus - parasitoids)
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Meteorus Haliday, 1835
This genus of endoparasitoid wasps is widely distributed in temperate and tropical regions and contains about 300 species. Some have been introduced into other regions as part of biological control programs. The species parasitize mainly Lepidoptera larvae and common hosts are species from the family Noctuidae, Geometridae and Tortricidae. Examples of important natural enemies are Meteorus pulchricornis parasitising Spodoptera, Helicoverpa, and other species, M. pendulus parasitising a variety of Noctuidae, or M. trachynotus a parsitoid of the spruce budworm.
The genus is characterized by the venation of the forewings as well as by the arrangement of the setae on the first abdominal tergite. The adults are typically 4-6 mm long. The larvae are elongated and have have a sclerotized head.
Type species: Meteorus pandulator.
Currently, the following species have been entered into the system:
