Zuimusia gall wasp - Zuimusia gall wasp

This insect belongs to the order Hymenoptera of the class Insecta of the phylum Arthropoda, family Trichogrammatidae. It is widely distributed in Japan, the Korean peninsula, China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Southeast Asia, and India. It is a tiny egg parasitoid wasp with a body length of about 0.4 mm, with a yellowish-brown body and a brown abdomen. Its compound eyes are red. The antennae of females have six segments, while those of males have four. It is known as an important natural enemy that parasitizes and kills the eggs of the rice stem borer and rice stem borer, which damage rice stems. It also parasitizes the eggs of the common copper butterfly, the two-banded grass moth, and the common skipper butterfly.

In general, species of the genus Trichogramma change body color and morphology (seasonal types) depending on the temperature during the growth period, so care must be taken when classifying them.

[Tetsusaburo Tachikawa]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

節足動物門昆虫綱膜翅(まくし)目タマゴヤドリコバチ科に属する昆虫。日本、朝鮮半島、中国、台湾、フィリピン、東南アジア、インドに広く分布。体長0.4ミリメートル内外の微小な卵寄生バチで、体は黄褐色で腹部は褐色。複眼は赤色。触角は雌が6節、雄が4節よりなる。イネの茎を食害するニカメイガやサンカメイガなどの卵に寄生して、これを殺す重要な天敵として有名である。そのほか、ウラナミシジミ、フタオビコヤガ、イチモンジセセリなどの卵にも寄生する。

　一般にTrichogramma属の種類は、成育期間中の温度によって体色や形態に変化（季節型）が生じるので、分類上、注意を要する。

［立川哲三郎］

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