Chemical ecology of insect parasitoids: towards a new era

Over the course of evolutionary time, insect parasitoids have developed diverse strategies for using chemical compounds to communicate with various protagonistswithin their environment (i.e. conspecifi cs, their hosts, and the plants on which their hosts are living). Unravelling the evolutionary meaning of suchchemical communication networks not only provides new insights into the ecology of these insects but also contributes to improving the use of parasitoidsfor the control of insect pests in biological control programmes. A book covering our current knowledge of the chemical ecology of insect parasitoids is therefore particularly timely and will appeal to a large number of potential readers worldwide,from university students to senior scientists. Internationally recognized specialists were invited to contribute chapters to this book, examining the maintopics and exploring the most interesting issues in the fi eld of chemical ecology of insect parasitoids. The chapters are organized so as to present the mostsignifi cant knowledge and discoveries made over recent decades, and their potential uses in pest control.