Bethylidae is the largest family of Chrysidoidea (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) and distributed widely from the tropics to the subarctic regions around the world.
Most members of the family are relatively small, and are generally known as ectoparasitoids of immature stages of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera. Some species have been used and studied as natural enemies of various insect pests in some countries.
Even though the family Bethylidae is important group as natural enemies in the agricultural and forestry fields, fundamental researches on this group such as a faunal study have not carried out and poorly known in Korea.
Since 2005, we have carried out the faunal investigation of Korean Bethylidae and more than 1,600 specimens were collected by 2010, with some of their host insects.
As results of present study, fifty two species belongs to sixteen genera of Bethylidae are recognized in Korea, including seven previously recorded species as of 2006.
We will introduce on the biodiversity of Korean Bethylidae and its applied aspects as potential biocontrol agents against various insect pests with cases of their usages.

• Jongok Lim(Division of Forest Biodiversity, Korea National Arboretum)
• Seunghwan Lee(Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University)