Introduction to Microgastrinae
One of the most commonly found parasitoid of caterpillars (moths and butterflies) are Microgastrinae wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae). They are small (usually 2-5 mm long), mostly black or yellow and with a rather short "abdomen" (metasoma). Due to its narrow host specificity (i.e., a wasp species often parasitizes one or just a few related species of caterpillars) the microgastrine wasps are a key component in the biological control of agriculture and forestry pests, and have also been extensively used in biodiversity, ecological, behavioral and molecular studies.