What is Wolbachia?

About Wolbachia:

• It is a common type of bacteria found in insects.
• Approximately 6 in 10 of all insects, including butterflies, bees, and beetles, around the world have Wolbachia. 
• Wolbachia bacteria cannot make people or animals (for example, fish, birds, pets)

Key facts about Encarsia formosa

• These are of interest to agricultural scientists because they provide an efficient way to control
  • Whiteflies feed on the sap of plant leaves, causing productivity losses, and are thus a major agricultural pest.
  • Whiteflies belong to the insect order Hemiptera whereas wasps belong to the insect order Hymenoptera.
• The wasp seeks out the nymphs (or larvae) of whiteflies and lays its eggs on them. When the eggs hatch, the larvae that emerge penetrate the nymph, feed on its tissues, grow to adulthood, and in the process kill the nymph.
• The progeny wasps emerge from the nymph’s carcass. As a parasitoid of whiteflies, the female wasp is in effect a search-and-destroy weapon. The male wasps are superfluous to this role.