New Records of the Genus Apanteles Forster (Braconidae: Microgastrinae) from Jammu and Kashmir, India

Apanteles Forster is one of the biggest, most widely found, and economically important genera in the Microgastrinae group. These are important larval parasitoids that attack mostly on the larvae of lepidopterous insects. Apanteles species are important biological control agents for the management of orchards, industrial cash crops, and farm foods from damaging insect pests. Ten new species of Apanteles have been reported for the 1st time in Kashmir Valley, Jammu and Kashmir, India. These include Apanteles caniae, Apanteles artonae, Apanteles ruidus, Apanteles araeceri, Apanteles prodeniae, Apanteles agilis, Apanteles calycinae, Apanteles javensis, Apanteles machaeralis, and Apanteles erionotae. . KEYWORDS :Apanteles spp., Microgastrinae, Braconidae, New record, Parasitoids, Kashmir Valley, India