The aphid parasitoid, Lipolexis peregrina Tomanovi & cacute; & Koci & cacute; (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae), currently known from Europe and parts of Asia (China, South Korea, and Japan), is reported from India (Tamil Nadu) for the first time. It was found to parasitize the banana black aphid, Pentalonia nigronervosa Coquerel (Hemiptera: Aphididae), a vector of the dreaded bunchy top virus disease of banana and this also constitutes a new host-parasitoid association. Illustrated notes on the parasitoid morphology are given along with a barcode sequence to facilitate its rapid identification. Comparison of the barcode sequence of the Indian specimens with other GenBank mined sequences revealed its occurrence in Pakistan.

Coelophora laeta Mulsant, 1850 (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), is a poorly known Oriental species of Coccinellini, originally described from Java (Indonesia). It is reported from India for the first time based on a series of highly polymorphic specimens collected during recent field surveys in West Bengal. Based on its morphological characters, particularly the presence of a narrow frons, lack of tibial spurs, and the male genitalia, it is transferred to Phrynocaria Timberlake, 1943 (new combination). It is redescribed with the illustrations of the polymorphic forms and other diagnostic characters, including the genitalia. The immature stages are also illustrated, along with notes on its distribution and host plant. The problems in the taxonomy of some Asian Phrynocaria arising from the possible misidentifications of the polymorphic forms are briefly discussed.

The sixteen extant genera of Cybocephalidae (Coleoptera) occurring worldwide are keyed. The genera included are Amedissia Kirejtshuk and Mantič, Apastillus Kirejtshuk and Mantič, Conglobatus T. R. Smith, Cybocephalus Erichson, Endrodiellus Endrödy-Younga, Eupastillus Lawrence, Hierronius Endrödy-Younga, Horadion Endrödy-Younga, Microthomas T. R. Smith, Pacicephalus Kirejtshuk and Mantič, Pastillodes Endrödy-Younga, Pastillus Endrödy-Younga, Pycnocephalus Sharp, Taxicephomerus Kirejtshuk, Theticephalus Kirejtshuk and the new genus Novenariacia T. R. Smith and Poorani. Novenariacia is described along with one new species, N. sulcata T. R. Smith and Poorani, from India. Descriptions of N. sulcata adults and larvae, photographs and illustrations of morphological features, biological notes and distribution data are provided.

The tribe Aspidimerini (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is entirely Asiatic in distribution and most of the known species are primarily aphidophagous and occasionally feed on mealybugs, scales, and whiteflies. This illustrated guide to 26 species in four genera of Asidimerini of the Indian subcontinent is presented with diagnostic descriptions and supporting illustrations, including genitalia, wherever available. Details of distribution, prey and plant associations, and seasonal occurrence are provided based on collections, label data and literature. Immature stages are illustrated for three species of Pseudaspidimerus Kapur and one species of Trigonocarinatus Huo & Ren. One new species, Aspidimerus dissimilis sp. n., is described from Arunachal Pradesh, Northeastern India. Cryptogonus bilineatus Kapur, 1948, and Cryptogonus bryanti Kapur, 1948 are transferred to Trigonocarinatus Huo & Ren, 2015 (new combinations). The following new specific synonyms are proposed (junior synonym listed first): Cryptogonus kapuri Ghorpade, 1974 (=Trigonocarinatus bryanti (Kapur, 1948)); Cryptogonus nepalensis Bielawski, 1972 and C. nepalensis bhutanensis Bielawski, 1979 (=Cryptogonus ariasi (Mulsant, 1853)) (new synonyms). An updated checklist of the tribe Aspidimerini of the Indian subcontinent is also provided.

Several species of mealybugs infest various parts of bananas and plantains including foliage, fruits, rhizome and roots in all the major banana growing regions of India and cause moderate to occasionally serious damage but systematic attempts at documenting the mealybug pests of banana and their natural enemies are lacking in India. In this study, mealybugs infesting bananas and plantains in Tamil Nadu, South India, are documented along with their coccinellid predators and other natural enemies. The exotic Jack Beardsley mealybug, Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi Gimpel & Miller, was found to be a major pest of banana bunches in all localities surveyed in Tamil Nadu and the grey pineapple mealybug, Dysmicoccus neobrevipes Beardsley, was a serious pest in some isolated pockets. Three coccinellids, Scymnus (Pullus) coccivora Ramakrishna Ayyar, Nephus regularis Sicard and Slipinskiscymnus saciformis (Motschulsky) were found to be the major predators of all species of mealybugs. Brumoides suturalis (Fabricius) was predatory on solenopsis mealybug (Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley) only and Hyperaspis maindroni Sicard was associated with solenopsis mealybug and pink pineapple mealybug (Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell)). One new species, Scymnus (Pullus) spicatus sp. n., is described as a predator of Jack Beardsley mealybug and striped mealybug (Ferrisia virgata (Cockerell)). Scymnus (Pullus) syoitii Sasaji, 1971, a Japanese species, is recorded for the first time from India as a predator of banana root mealybugs in Tamil Nadu and on Planococcus citri (Risso) in Karnataka. Brief notes on the other natural enemies of banana mealybugs are also given with illustrations.

Indian species of Microweiseinae are reviewed, comprising eight species (five species of Serangium Blackburn, one species of Microserangium Miyatake, and two species of Scymnomorphus Weise, including one new species from the southern Indian state of Kerala, Scymnomorphus ochraceus sp. n.). Illustrated diagnostic accounts are given for all species with details of distribution, biology, and host insects, wherever they are known. Immature stages are illustrated for Serangium parcesetosum Sicard and Serangium chapini (Kapur). An updated checklist of the Microweiseinae of India is given. The need for focused collections and systematic studies to unearth the hidden diversity of Indian Microweiseinae is discussed, and comments on their poor utilization in applied biological control in India are made.

Grasshoppers are considered as minor pests of bananas and plantains in India. The symptoms of damage caused by grasshoppers on bananas are variable and sometimes difficult to distinguish from those caused by lepidopteran pests, depending on the species involved. Based on our extensive surveys, here we report three species of bananas, namely Atractomorpha crenulata (Fabricius), Gesonula punctifrons (Stål) and Neorthacris spp. as common but minor pests of banana in Tamil Nadu, south India. Brief diagnostic notes and symptoms of damage caused by these grasshoppers and spotted coffee grasshopper, Aularches miliaris (Linnaeus), an occasional pest of banana, are given with illustrations.

The ladybird genus Empia was established by Weise in 1901 to accommodate a single species, Empia vittata Weise from Sri Lanka. Since its description, the genus has attracted very little attention, and its systematic position in modern classification of the subfamily Coccinellinae has remained unclear. Here we provide a revisionary study based on the type and non-typical material of E. vittata, and description of a new species, Empia indica sp. nov. from Tamil Nadu, South India, which is the first report of Empia from India. Lectotype for E. vittata is designated. Habitus and the female genitalia of Empia are illustrated for the first time along with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) illustrations of the key characters. Position of the genus within the subfamily Coccinellinae is discussed and as a result Empia is hereby transferred from Coccidulini to Sumniini based on several morphological characters.

Scymnus (Scymnus) hodeki sp. n. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is described and illustrated from Tamil Nadu, South India. It appears to be a specific predator of the aphid, Schoutedenia emblica (Patel & Kulkarni) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), a major pest of Indian gooseberry (Emblica officinalis Gaertn.). Notes on the life stages, biology, and natural enemies of the new species are also provided and illustrated. Other predators of the aphid are also listed and illustrated.

The tribe Noviini (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is economically important as its members are mainly predators of giant scales belonging to the family Monophlebidae and occasionally, mealybugs (Pseudococcidae). At present, 17 species of the tribe, all belonging to the sole recognized genus Novius Mulsant, are known from the Indian region. An illustrated account of the Indian species of Novius is presented here with brief diagnostic accounts, illustrations of the genitalia and details on the distribution, host insects and associated host plants. Life stages of the species are also illustrated wherever available. An updated checklist of Novius species of the Indian subcontinent is provided.

Insect taxonomy in India has been on a terminal decline and the unknown and undocumented insects of India face the threat of extinction before they are formally described due to climate change, habitat destruction and other anthropogenic factors. Ways to overcome the so called ‘Taxonomic impediment’, loosely defined as the lack of experts and funds and other resources for taxonomic research, are briefly discussed in the Indian context. A combination of concise morphological descriptions, high resolution digital imaging and open access web publishing with at least minimum molecular characterization (COI sequences) appears to be an ideal way to promote fast track documentation of Indian insects. Needless to add, increased funding and opportunities for insect taxonomy is the foremost requirement to further the cause of insect taxonomy in India. For this, insect taxonomic services should be recognized as a major input in agricultural pest management technology by ICAR and state agricultural universities.

The tribe Platynaspini (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) of the Indian subcontinent is reviewed and ten species of Platynaspis Redtenbacher 1843 are briefly described and illustrated with notes on their distribution, biology, and hosts, wherever known. A lectotype is designated for Platynaspis flavoguttata (Gorham, 1894) (lectotype designation). Neoplatynaspis nataliae gen. et sp. nov. is described and illustrated from the north-eastern Indian state of Meghalaya and Bangladesh. It differs from Platynaspis and Platycrus Szawaryn & Ślipiński 2022, the two existing genera of Platynaspini, by its unusual antenna with a highly modified pedicel, scape and the terminal antennomere forming a large knife-shaped club, legs with enlarged femora, strongly angulate tibiae and trimerous tarsi. A revised key to the genera of Platynaspini and an updated checklist of the Platynaspini of the Indian subcontinent are provided.

Species of the tribe Telsimiini (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of the Indian subcontinent, all belonging to a single genus, Telsimia Casey, 1899, are briefly reviewed. Three new species, Telsimia pygmaea sp. n., Telsimia intricata sp. n. (both from Tamil Nadu) and Telsimia mudigerensis sp. n. (from Karnataka), are described and illustrated from southern India. The immature stages of Telsimia pygmaea sp. n. and Telsimia intricata sp. n. are also illustrated along with details of their associated hosts and host plants. Telsimia sichuanensis Pang & Mao, 1979 is a new addition to the Indian fauna (from the northeastern state of Manipur). An updated checklist of the Telsimiini of the Indian Subcontinent is provided.