Habitat-Wise Seasonal Abundance of Ichneumonids from Western Maharashtra, India

Abstract Ichneumonids are parasitic on Lepidopterous pests and has a great importance. According to Gupta (1988) 8000 species of Ichneumonids occurred in India with 26 subfamilies and 1250 genera (average 48 species per genus). Family Ichneumonidae have the most potential and widely scattered genera in India are Diadegma, Campoletis, Charops and Xanthopimpla. Ichneumonids are therefore extremely important from an economic point of view and the lack of proper information on biosystematics has delayed their utilization in biological control programmes. During the survey studies, parasitoids of 12 genera namely, Campoletis, Charops, Diadegma, Dusona, Ecthromorphha, Enicospillus, Eriborus, Goryphus, Lissopimpla, Mastrus, Pristomerus and Xanthopimpla were reported from the study area. 25 species of Ichneumonid parasitoids have been reported from various agroecosystems. In forest ecosystems a total of 3 species, while in agroecosystems 22 species have been reported. Among the genus Diadegma, 6 species were reported followed by 4 species from Xanthopimpla, 3 species from Eriborus and 2 species each from the genera Goryphus, Charops and Enicospillus. Additionally, 1 species each from the genera Pristomerus, Mastrus, Dusona, Ecthromorpha and Lissopimpla were reported. In Ichneunonidae genera the order of abundance was Campoletis > Diadegma > Pristomerus > Eriborus > Mastrus > Dusona > Ecthromorpha > Lissopimpla > Goryphus > Xanthopimpla > Charops > Enicospillus.