Advances in Systematics and Biological Control of Braconidae Parasitoid Wasps

Dear Colleagues,

The family Braconidae is one of the largest and most diverse groups of parasitoid wasps, comprising both well-known taxa that are widely used in biological control programs and poorly studied groups for which basic aspects of their biology remain unknown and species diversity is still insufficiently documented. Braconids are distributed worldwide and exhibit remarkable diversity in morphology, life-history strategies, host associations, and ecological adaptations. They parasitize a wide range of arthropod hosts, reflecting the complexity of their evolutionary and ecological relationships. Many species are important natural enemies of agricultural and forest pests, while species delimitation, identification, and classification remain challenging across many groups.

Recent advances in integrative taxonomy, molecular systematics, genomics, and ecological research are providing new opportunities to resolve taxonomic relationships and advance understanding of braconid diversity, evolution, and host associations. This Special Issue aims to bring together recent research on the systematics, taxonomy, phylogeny, biodiversity, biology, ecology, and biological control of Braconidae. Contributions addressing novel methodological approaches, systematics, species discovery and delimitation, host–parasitoid interactions, parasitoid diversity, and the application of braconids in sustainable pest management are particularly welcome.

Prof. Dr. Andjeljko Petrović
Dr. Korana Kocić
Guest Editors

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