Parasitoids

Parasitoids of ants may occupy a variety of ecological niches within their host ant colony. Most are internal parasites of ant brood and ant adults. Many are hymenopterans and dipterans as well as Strepsipterans. There is another subset of parasitoids that attack myrmecophiles and other organisms living with the ants (eg. Horismenus, Microdonophagus). Ant parasitoids are a possible agent for biocontrol of pest ants. Most parasitoids are obscure and poorly known. Some species attack ants as well as other insect hosts.

Eucharitidae
Eucharitidae parasitize the immature stages of Formicidae and are among the most diverse hymenopteran parasitoids of eusocial insects. Females are oviparous and proovigenic and lay their eggs inside or on plant tissues, either individually or in masses. They oviposit away from the host, with the active first instar larva (planidium) responsible for getting into the ant nest through various associations with foraging adult ants. Once in contact with the larval ant host, the planidium either remains as an external parasite or burrows into the host. Upon pupation of the host, the larva migrates to the ventral region of the thorax, just posterior to the legs of the newly formed pupa, then resumes development through two additional instars. The adults emerge and leave the nest on their own or may be carried by the ants and deposited in the accumulation of colony waste.

Worldwide, approximately 700 Eucharitidae species attack five subfamilies across the ant phylogeny.

Eucharitinae
Eucharitinae is a subfamily of chalcid wasps in the family Eucharitidae with 32 genera. Eucharitid Wasps biology and host ants.

Ancylotropus
There are five species in this genus which are Parasitoids of ants.

Athairocharis
There are two species in this genus which are Parasitoids of ants.

Austeucharis
There are thirteen species in this genus which are Parasitoids of ants. Host ants are Myrmecia.

Chalcura
There are twenty eight species in this genus.

Colocharis
There are three species in this genus.

Dicoelothorax
There are two species in this genus which are Parasitoids of ants. Host ants: Ectatomma brunneum

Dilocantha
There are five species in this genus which are Parasitoids of ants.

Eucharis
There are forty six species in this genus.

Eucharissa
There are six species in this genus, all are from South Africa.

Galearia
There are two species in this genus. From Argentina and Brazil.

Hydrorhoa
There are seven species in this genus.

Isomerala
There are three species in this genus.

Kapala
There are sixteen species in this genus.

Latina
There are four known species of Latina with three known in Argentina and one from Venezuela. Like all members of the Euchratidae, Latina wasps are ant parasitoids. The wasp lays eggs on the undersides of leaves near the nests of Ponerine ants. Within a few days the eggs hatch into planidial larvae that are mobile and can leap. They enter the ant colony, most likely being carried by, or riding on, the ants. Once inside, they seek out ant larvae as hosts. There the planidia attach to ant host larvae or prepupae where they feed. On completing their development they emerge, leaving the remains of the ant larva.

Lophyrocera
There are six species in this genus.

Mateucharis
There are three species in this genus.

Neolirata
There are three species in this genus which are Parasitoids of ants.

Neolosbanus
There are sixteen species in this genus.

Obeza
There are eight described species in Obeza.

Parakapala
There are three species in this genus.

Pogonocharis
There is a single species in this genus.

Pseudochalcura
There are fourteen species in this genus which are Parasitoids of ants.

Pseudometegae
There are eight species in this genus.

Psilocharis
There are nine species in this genus.

Rhipipalloidea
There are two species in this genus.

Schizaspidia
There are twenty nine species in this genus.

Stilbula
There are twenty nine species in this genus. Camponotus is the suspected host ant for many species.

Stilbuloida
There are two species in this genus.

Substilbula
There are four species in this genus.

Thoracantha
This genus is comprised of three species.

Tricoryna
There are fifteen species from Australia.

Zulucharis
There are seven species in this genus.

Anorasema
There are two species in this genus.

Gollumiella
There are nine species in this genus.

Oraseminae
Oraseminae constitutes one of the major lineages of the family Eucharitidae, with the estimated number of species approaching 200 (Heraty 2002), all of which are parasitoids of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). There are verified host records of Oraseminae attacking six genera in the ant subfamily Myrmicinae and dubious records on Ecitoninae and Formicinae.

Australosema
There are two species in this genus.

Orasema
There are 111 species in this genus.

Orasemorpha
There are nine species in this genus.

Timioderus
There are five species in this genus.

Eulophidae
The Eulophidae are a large family of hymenopteran insects, with over 4,300 described species in some 300 genera.

Eulophids are separable from most other Chalcidoidea by the possession of only four tarsomeres on each leg, a small, straight protibial spur (as opposed to the larger, curved one in most other chalcidoids), and by antennae with two to four funicle segments and at most 10 antennomeres.

Entedoninae
Entedoninae is a subfamily of wasps in the family Eulophidae which includes over 90 genera. Only a few species are associated with ants.

Horismenus
There are two species associated with ants in this parasitoid genus of more than 400 species.

Microdonophagus
There are three species in this parasitoid genus.

Myrmokata
There is a single species in this parasitoid genus of Eulopidae.

Pediobius
There is a single species in this parasitoid genus of Eulopidae.