Parasitoids as insect pest control agents

Scientific evidence points to the fact that the use of synthetic pesticides is fraught with problems. Therefore, entomologists continue searching for more friendly control measures to use. One of such methods handy is biological control using parasitoids, which are insects that control other insects. Though, a number of parasitoids have been scientifically chronicled to control insect pests, and a number of studies conducted about them, still there is more to know about parasitoids and how they function to control their host pests. Hence, this paper was intended to review works that have been done to bring to the fore matters relating to important issues to consider when contemplating using parasitoids as insect pest control agents. The paper reviewed how parasitoids are categorized and used in biological control, factors that influence parasitoid host range, host location and recognition, development of parasitoids, specialization of parasitoids, sources of information on host range for introducing parasitoids, how accurately can host range be predicted, factors influencing host–parasitoid interactions, as well as concerns about use of parasitoids as biological control agents and the ways out. The paper ends with some conclusions.