---

Trissolcus vassilievi (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) is one of the most important egg parasitoids of the common sunn pest (CSP), Eurygaster integriceps Puton (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae) in Iran. In this study, the fitness of two populations of T. vassilievi was studied on two populations of hosts in terms of life history parameters. Two populations of T. vassilievi were selected: 1/ Tabriz (as a temperate area), and 2/ Varamin (as a subtropical area), as well as for CSP. Moreover, regarding that outcrossing between populations can produce progeny with superior characteristics, the progeny of reciprocal crosses between original populations also were examined on a single host. The crosses between the two populations caused 13.9-18.5% higher net fecundity than maternal populations which suggests fecundity to be a function of maternal phenotype. The intrinsic rate of increase showed minor differences among treatments which varied between 0.291±0.003 to 0.305±0.003. The partial advantage of the Varamin wasps over the Tabriz ones and the crosses over the original populations was obvious. Such differences may be used to obtain more efficient parasitoids in augmentation programs.
 

---

Controlling insect pests through nano-based formulation of chemicals is one of the newly applied methods in IPM programs; however, the probable side impacts of nano-pesticides on non-target organisms need to be evaluated. In this study, deltamethrin and matrine were encapsulated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and chitosan (Cs), respectively, and their toxicity were investigated against Habrabracon hebetor Say using the contact method. According to the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), spherical nanoparticles for both formulations were observed. The average hydrodynamic nanoparticle diameters for deltamethrin and matrine were 65 and 70.5 nm. The LC₅₀ values were 254.48, 334.90, 760.31 and 1021 mg L^-1 in PEG-encapsulated deltamethrin, commercial deltamethrin, Cs-encapsulated matrine, and commercial matrine, respectively. Exposing to the LC₃₀ of the commercial and nano-encapsulated deltamethrin significantly prolonged the total pre-adult period. The adults of H. hebetor in PEG-encapsulated deltamethrin treatment had the lowest longevity compared to other treatments and control. Furthermore, the sublethal exposure to the PEG-based nanoformulation of deltamethrin and commercial deltamethrin resulted in a significant reduction of the intrinsic rate of natural increase (r_m) (0.159 and 0.168 day^-1, respectively). Same trend was observed for the gross reproductive rate (GRR), net reproductive rate (R₀), and finite rate of increase (λ) of the parsitoid. Our findings indicate that the negative side effects of commercial and nano-based formulations of deltamethrin on H. hebetor should be considered in IPM programs.
 

---

During a laboratory biological study of a midge, Feltiella acarisuga (Vallot, 1827) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), acarivorous on two-spotted spider mites, some ceraphronid specimens were reared from the midge cocoons. A detailed morphological study and comparison with previously known species revealed that the ceraphronid is a new species of Aphanogmus Thomson, 1858 (Hymenoptera: Ceraphronidae). The new species is described as A. feltiellophagus Lotfalizadeh, sp. nov. and compared with closely related species. An identification key for all Aphanogmus species associated with predatory cecidomyiids is provided. As a parasitoid of the pupal stage of Feltiella acarisuga, the potential negative impact of A. feltiellophagus on the biological control of tetranychid mites is discussed.

---

Abstract The aphid parasitoids, Aphidius colemnai Viereck and A. matricariae (Haliday) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) have high potential as the most effective biological control agents for controlling the cotton aphis Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae). In this investigation, the effect of five constant temperatures (10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 °C) on the reproductive parameters was studied at 65 ±5% relative humidity and a photoperiod of 16L: 8 D hours In this study, the newly laid (one- day old) eggs were reared on third instar nymphs of cotton aphid, and the pupal and adult stages of the parasitoids were recorded daily, until the last individual was found dead. The experiments were carried out with 15 replications at each temperature. The results revealed that the gross fecundity and fertility rates were significantly different at all tested temperatures for both species (P

---

The eucoiline genus Hexacola Foerster, 1869 is present in the Afrotropical, Neotropical, Holarctic and Ethiopian regions, as well as Oceania. In this paper, three species are reported for the first time in Argentina: Hexacola hexatoma (Hartig 1841), Hexacola bifarium Quinlan, 1986 and Hexacola bonaerensis Reche, nom. nov. proposed to replace Hexacola fuscipes (Kieffer 1908) by homonymy with Hexacola fuscipes (Kieffer 1907). Their redescriptions are provided. Species from Argentina are parasitoids of Ephydridae and Chloropidae (Diptera). New distribution data, new host records and a key for Argentinian species are provided. Photographs of diagnostic characters and georeference of locality of collections are included. The material examined is deposited in the collection of the División Entomología, Museo de La Plata (Argentina).

---

Within collection of the family Pteromalidae from Northwest of Iran, some female specimens of the genus Habritys Thomson were found. The specimens were collected by a Malaise trap and identified as Habritys brevicornis (Ratzeburg, 1844). This is first record of the genus Habritys and species H. brevicornis from Iran and Middle-East. Diagnostic morphological characters, host associations and geographical distribution of the newly recorded species are briefly discussed.

---

Six species of pteromalid wasps associated with plant galls, Rosa beggeriana Schrenk,  Ephedra major Host and Salix pycnostachya Andersson were collected from Kerman province, during 2010-2011. The identified wasps belong to four genera: Caenacis Förster, 1856, Gastrancistrus  Westwood, 1833, Mesopolobus Westwood, 1833, and Pteromalus Swederus, 1795. Three species are newly recorded for the Iranian fauna: Gastrancistrus ephedrae Dzhanokmen, 1994 (Pireninae), Pteromalus cyniphidis (Linnaeus, 1758) and P. dolichurus (Thomson, 1878) (Pteromalinae). Gastrancistrus ephedrae is associated with an unknown species of insect on E. major, P. bedeguaris (Thomson, 1878) with Diplolepis fructuum (Rübsaamen, 1882) (Hym.: Cynipidae) on R. beggeriana, P. cyniphidis and P. dolichurus with an unknown species of insect in leaf galls on S. pycnostachya, and Caenacis cf. inflexa and Mesopolobus sericeus with D. fructuum on R. beggeriana. Three new biological associations were found: M. sericeus with D. fructuum, and P. cyniphidis and P. dolichurus with S. pycnostachya. Short taxonomic comments, hosts and geographical distribution of the species are briefly mentioned.

---

The ovipositiomil behaviour and success of Anagyrus pseudococci (Girault), an encyrtid endoparasitoid of mealybugs, Planococcus citri (Risso) and Pseudococcus affinis (Mask.) were studied in the laboratory. Behavioural sequences during oviposition starting from the searching for the host to the post-oviposition activities were described. Once encountered, the mealybug host was examined and probed by the ovipositor of the parasitoid. Oviposition success was influenced by the defence activity of the host. P. citri was less able to defend itself and was more susceptible to parasitism than P. affinis. Oviposition experience of the parasitoid played an important role in increasing the efficacy of subsequent oviposition.

---

In the present study, the Alysiini (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Alysiinae) material from Switzerland deposited in the Entomological collection of Natural History Museum London (UK) and Biologiezentrum Linz (Austria) was identified. A total of 56 Alysiini species are catalogued. Thirty-eight species are recorded for the first time for the Swiss fauna. A faunistic list with distribution data is provided.

---

Eupelmidae of Iran are revised based on collected material mainly from the northwest and accessible published data. This family in Iran includes 31 species in two subfamilies (Calosotinae and Eupelminae) and seven genera Anastatus Motschulsky, 1859 (four species), Arachnophaga Ashmead, 1896 (one species), Brasema Cameron, 1884 (one species), Calosota Curtis, 1836 (one species), Calymmochilus Masi, 1919 (one species), Eupelmus Dalman, 1820 (22 species) and Eusandalum Ratzeburg, 1852 (one species). The genus Calymmochilus and four species Calymmochilus dispar Bouček & Andriescu, 1967; Eupelmus pini Taylor, 1927; E. splendens Giraud, 1872 and E. vindex Erdös, 1955 are new records for Iran.

---

New data for the genus Aspilota Foerster, 1863 (Braconidae: Alysiinae) of the Western Asia are provided. Four species, A. flagimilis Fischer, 1966, A. insolita (Tobias, 1962), A. latitemporata Fischer, 1976 and A. nidicola Hedqvist, 1972, are recorded for the first time from Iran. Illustrated re-descriptions of Aspilota alfalfae Fischer, Lashkari Bod, Rakhshani & Talebi, 2011, A. delicata Fischer, 1973, A. flagimilis, A. insolita, A. latitemporata, and A. nidicola are presented. A key to the Western Asian species of Aspilota is provided.

---

Various molecular techniques are available to make differences and to study the genetic divergences among species and populations, of which the most efficient ones are PCR-based markers. One of these methods, molecular fingerprinting, enables the distinction of closely related populations. ISSR-primers are universal primers that can be used for such studies. The utility of these primers was tested for threepopulations of Eretmocerus mundus Mercet (Hym, Aphelinidae), a primary parasitoid of the whiteflies. Of the 60 ISSR primers, that were checked, as many as 64 bands were obtained from 16 primers. The band sizes ranged from above 200 to 1000 bp for different primers. The rate of divergence among the bands was strong enough to make a clear difference among the studied specimens; however the intricacy of using these primers is very much for studying the divergence among several populations. Therefore, sequencing of specific regions of DNA could bring more success to find out divergence among populations of these tiny parasitoids.    

---

Fifteen species belonging to ten genera of the encyrtid wasps (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea, Encyrtidae) were collected in southern Iran and are presented here with the host records. Four species are newly recorded for the Iranian fauna: Blastothrix aprica Sugonjaev, 1964; Psyllaephagus belanensis (Hoffer, 1963); Psyllaephagus pulchellus (Mercet, 1921) and Anagyrus archangelskayae Trjapitzin, 1972. Some new host associations were found for 10 encyrtid species. Two misidentifications were corrected. Available biological data as well as geographical distribution for each species are also included.

---

Braconidae (Hymenoptera) communities at high altitudes in alfalfa fields of Kerman province (Iran) were analyzed. The communities were sampled by sweep netting in 2014 and 2015. Samples were taken from three altitudinal transects: 1900–2300 m, 2400–2700 m and 2800–3100 m. A total of 1773 braconid specimens belonging to seven subfamilies were collected. Alpha, beta and gamma diversities were analyzed. The samples from 1900–2300 m and from2400–2700 m showed similar diversity, but from 2800-3100 m had the highest number of specimens and differed considerably in diversity.

---

In a taxonomic study of the subfamily Phasiinae (Diptera: Tachinidae), seven species and the three genera Opesia Robineau-Desvoidy, Subclytia Pandellé and Xysta Meigen are recorded for the first time from Iran. The diagnostic characters, distributional data along with the photographs of species are presented. Taxonomical positions of the genera and species are discussed.

---

Fauna of the Aphidiinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) of Iran is reviewed and the data on their host aphid associations are summarized. Seventy-eight species belonging to 17 genera of Aphidiinae are listed in the associations with 193 aphid species. A total of 491 parasitoid-aphid associations are presented. The distribution of the Aphidiinae species in different parts of Iran and other countries is also discussed.  

---

The present paper provides the updated checklist of the genera and species in the subfamily Alysiinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Iran. A total of 55 species belonging to 13 genera have been listed, that had been recorded from 15 provinces. The recorded species belong to the genera Alloea Haliday, 1833 (one species), Aphaereta Foerster, 1862 (two species), Aspilota Foerster, 1862 (two species), Dinotrema Foerster, 1862 (four species), Idiasta Foerster, 1862 (one species), Orthostigma Ratzeburg, 1844 (three species), Phaenocarpa Foerster, 1861 (one species), Pseudopezomachus Montero, 1905 (one species) and Synaldis Foerster, 1862 (four species) from the tribe Alysiini, and Chorebus Haliday, 1833 (28 species), Coelinidea Viereck 1913 (one species), Dacnusa Haliday, 1833 (five species) and Protodacnusa Griffiths, 1964 (two species) from the tribe Dacnusini.

---

The present paper provides information about the Alysiinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) species captured in Kerman province (Iran). A total of 14 species belonging to eight genera were collected and identified, of which three species are reported for the first time from Iran: Dinotrema (Prosapha) speculum (Haliday, 1838), Idiasta (Idiasta) dichrocera Konigsmann, 1960 and Protodacnus atristis (Nees, 1834). Diagnostic characters of the newly recorded species is presented.

---

The subfamily Microgastrinae Foerster, 1862 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonoidea, Braconidae) is a challenging and the most diverse groups of braconids that has significant importance in biological control programs. They are koinobiont endoparasitoids of lepidopteran larvae and generally attack and develop in early instars and exit from the host larvae to pupate. In current paper, the findings of primary taxonomic investigations on these valuable biocontrol agents is presented and for each genus, the general habitus of a represented species is illustrated. Also, the proportion of known hosts for some genera was provided. The purpose of this paper is to provide a preliminary information of the Microgastrinae in Iran to serve as a starting point for future studies on the group and to encourage further study of more species in other regions of Iran, on various aspects of taxonomic, ecological, host associations, conservation, DNA barcoding and bio-control.

---

In order to determine Braconidae fauna of Cyprus, adult specimens of Braconidae were collected from different habitats of Northern Cyprus between 2012 and 2016. All specimens were collected in both natural vegetation and agricultural areas using sweeping-net. A total of 42 species belonging to 14 genera of Agathidiae, Braconinae, Cheloninae, Doryctinae, Euphorinae, Homolobinae, Opiinae and Rogadinae were reported from the Northern Cyprus, of which 26 species are recorded from Cyprus for the first time.