also: きせいバチ · やどりばち · やどりバチ · きせいほう
parasitoid wasp; parasitic wasp; parasitic bee
Refers to insects, primarily wasps, whose larvae develop on or within a host arthropod, eventually killing it. The term covers both parasitoid and parasitic species, though in strict biological usage 'parasitoid' is more accurate. The gloss 'parasitic bee' is less common and may refer to cuckoo bees or similar insects.
Parasitoid wasps are used in agriculture as natural enemies of pests.
This parasitic wasp lays its eggs inside aphids.
Natural enemy; 寄生蜂 are often used as 天敵 in biological control.
Standard kanji spelling. The reading きせいばち is the most common.
Alternate reading using native Japanese pronunciation; less common than きせいばち.
Alternate on'yomi reading; rarely used.
Mixed kanji-katakana spelling, often used in informal or semi-technical contexts.
Mixed spelling with the rare reading やどりバチ.
Compound of 寄生 (kisei, 'parasitism') and 蜂 (hachi, 'bee' or 'wasp'). The reading きせいばち is the standard Sino-Japanese compound reading. Alternate readings やどりばち and きせいほう are less common.