Genus Microplitis Förster (Figures 83−86, 157−164)

Microgaster carinicollis Cameron is transferred to Microplitis, based on examination of first and second mediotergites, length of metatibia spurs, and size of metaxocoxa: Microplitis carinicollis (Cameron) stat. rev.

Rearing Data: Indian species of Microplitis were reʗent1y re˅Ised by Gupta (2013)' including diagnostic details, illustrations and key to all Indian species. Seventy nine specimens were reared.

Life History Comments: The species Microplitis carinicollis Cameron (Figs 157, 158) was reared from Psalis pennatula (Fab.) ( Erebidae: Lymantriinae). The cocoon was solitary and brown (Fig. 83).

Microplitis demolitor Wilkinson (Fig. 159) is reported as a larval parasitoid of several noctuid moths, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner), Helicoverpa spp., and Spodoptera spp.

Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) is recorded as host for M. demolitor Wilkinson, M. manilae Ashmead (Fig. 162) and Microplitis prodeniae Rao & Kurian (Fig. 163).

Microplitis maculipennis (Szepligeti) (Fig. 161) is a natural biological control agent of the castor semilooper Acanthodelta janata (L.) (Fig. 84). This parasitoid wasp has a life cycle of nearly 15 days in India. The brown coloured cocoon remains clasped by the last pair of legs at the anal end of the host caterpillar and remains attached firmly to the leaf surface. The parasitoid is most active from August to October and 80–90% of parasitism has been observed in the field.

Microplitis spodopterae Rao & Kurian (Fig. 164) was reared from Spodoptera sp. feeding on Trigonella foenum-graecum L. The cocoon is solitary and brown (Fig. 86).