Record on species of Apanteles foerster (Braconidae: microgastrinae) from central India

Apanteles species are important larval parasitoids of several lepidopterous pests of economic importance to agricultural crops, commercial cash crops and forest tree species. Several Apanteles species were recovered during taxonomic survey of important forestry and adjoining agro-forestry areas of central India, covering Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra by sweeping and host-insects rearing methods. From the sweeping samples, 19 species and from laboratory host rearing 8 species of Apanteles were obtained. The present paper gives a brief account of these Apanteles species. These parasitoids are undoubtedly important for keeping the check and balance of the population of important insect pests.