Parasitoids of butterflies: Diversity and host associations in Kolhapur district, Maharashtra, India

Abstract

This study describes the diversity of parasitoids associated with different life stages of the butterfly. During the study, 14 parasitic Hymenopteran and Dipteran species belong to seven families, viz. Braconidae (five species), Encyrtidae (two species), Scelionidae (two species), Ichneumonidae (two species), Pteromalidae (one species), Chalcididae (one species), and Tachinidae (one species) were recorded. Both, the braconid larval parasitoid Distatrix papilionis (Viereck) and the pupal parasitoid Philomacroploea sp. are gregarious, while other parasitoid species are solitary, except the egg parasitoid Ooencyrtus sp., from which three individuals emerged. Although parasitism on egg and pupal stages has been reported, most parasitic insects target the larval stages. Besides highlighting the ecological importance of parasitic insects, this study provides fundamental data useful for studies on butterfly ecology and conservation.