Abstract:
In August 2010, Aphidius ervi Haliday (Hymenoptera,
Braconidae, Aphidiinae) was reared from a
sample of the potato aphid, Macrosiphum euphorbiae
(Thomas), which was collected in the field on
Malva parviflora L. (Malvaceae) at the Experimental
Farmof the University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South
Africa (25°45’03.6”S 28°15’28.9”E). This is the first
record of this parasitoid from SouthAfrica.Voucher
specimens are deposited in the South African
National Collection of Insects, ARC-Plant Protection
Research Institute,Pretoria (ARC-PPRI; accession
numbers AcP 9504–AcP 9509).
Description:
Aphidius ervi was identified by P. Star (Biology
Centre, Institute of Entomology, Academy of
Sciences of the Czech Republic). The identity of
Macrosiphum euphorbiae was confirmed by I.M.
Millar (Biosystematics Division, ARC-Plant Protection
Research Institute, South Africa). M. Nel
(Department of Plant Science, University of Pretoria)
identified Malva parviflora.
