Microterys tricoloricornis

This record describes Microterys tricoloricornis (species). Recorded family: Encyrtidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.

Identification and Appearance

Microterys tricoloricornis - Microterys tricoloricornis

Females: Middle tibia is covered in fine, silky hairs (c.f. M. nietneri). Lateral view of the antennae: M. tricoloricornis F4-6 white all round (c.f. M. seyon F4-6 white on top but darker underneath). Mesoscutum and scutellum at most all dirty yellow, head width more than 5x as wide as frontovertex, frontovertex at most 3x diameter of ocellus. Males are very different in appearance, small dark insects which cannot reliably be identified to species. Unless identified by a recognised expert detailed photos of key features required. Endoparasitoid of scale insects. Widely used as biological control in horticulture. Japoshvili, G. (2011) Revision of Microterys Thomson (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) of the MNCN including species distributed in Iberian Peninsula. In Annales de la Société entomologique de France (Vol. 47, No. 1-2, pp. 193-201). Taylor & Francis Group.

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Encyrtidae
Genus: Microterys

Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.

Habitat and Range

Seasonal Activity

All year.

Diet and Behavior

Life History

Endoparasitoid of scale insects. Widely used as biological control in horticulture.

Additional species information

Recorded status

Widespread but rarely recorded.

About Flies: the wider group

Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Microterys tricoloricornis. Species-specific details appear above.

Group overview

Hymenoptera includes over 150,000 described species of ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Earth harbors approximately 20 quadrillion (20×10^15) ants, with a combined biomass of ~12 megatons of dry carbon - exceeding the combined biomass of all wild birds and mammals (PNAS, 2022).

Ecological role of the group

About 35% of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators. The chocolate industry, valued at over $100 billion, depends on pollinating flies and midges. Ants are the dominant soil engineers in most terrestrial ecosystems, turning more soil than earthworms in many habitats.

Economic and practical significance of the group

Pollinators contribute $235-577 billion worth of annual global food production (FAO). In the U.S., bee pollination alone benefits crops valued at $18 billion annually, and honey bees are responsible for $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Between April 2023-2024, 55.1% of managed honey bee colonies were lost. The U.S. bee population dropped from 5 million to 2.5 million.

Recorded sources for this group: FAO, USDA, EPA, PNAS (2022), US Fish & Wildlife Service. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.

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