1Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki -Giza, Egypt
2Department of Agriculture, Shahre Rey Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
3Hostvagen 1, SE-186 31 Vallentuna, Sweden.
4Department of Entomology, Fars Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Marvdasht, Iran.
Encyrtids are found throughout the world in virtually all habitats, and are extremely important as biological control agents. Oviposition preference of Comperiella bifasciata Howard (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) was evaluated for 1st, 2nd and 3rd instars of Aonidiella orientalis (Newstead) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae). the parasitoid successfully oviposited and developed on 2nd and 3rd instar female scales, but male scales were used as hosts only in their 2nd instar and at low levels. In choice treatments, C. bifasciata oviposited only in 3rd instar female scales. Also, in a total of 16 encyrtid species of 12 genera were collected from different regions of Iran.