Xanthopimpla stemmator (Thunberg)

Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae

Females: Body bright yellow with the following markings: head with ocellar triangle black, mesoscutum with a pair of black spots in front and a smaller median spot in front of scutellum (very rarely, mesoscutum completely yellow); abdominal tergites 1-7 usually with a pair of black spots, eighth tergite always without any spots, those on sixth tergite often much smaller or missing; second tergite always with a pair of black marks.

Males: Body bright yellow, mesoscutum as in female, but all abdominal tergites with black spots (including eighth); hind tibia not black at base.

   Adult female
 Adult male
   Adult female: lateral view; abdomen, apex
 Adult female parasitising sorghum stem borer

This species is widely distributed in the Oriental region, including India. It has been successfully introduced in Mauritius and with partial success in Madagascar and South Africa.

The species of Xanthopimpla are important parasitoids of lepidopterous stem borers of cereals, sugarcane, and sometimes, other crops. The species are easy to recognise and almost all known species are more or less bright yellow in colour, with or without black spots on various parts of the body. Besides Xanthopimpla stemmator, X. punctata and X. pedator are also commonly found in India.

Xanthopimpla stemmator is a common parasitoid of several stem borers such as Chilo partellus, C. infuscatellus, C. sacchariphagus, C. auricilius, C. suppressalis, Sesamia inferens, and Scirpophaga incertulas in India and several other parts of the Oriental region.