noun
- Plural of chalcid; small parasitic wasps of the family Chalcididae, many of which are beneficial insects used in biological pest control.
Usage: entomology; usually plural
Examples
- Chalcids are important natural enemies of agricultural pests.
- Farmers release chalcids into their fields to control harmful insect populations.
- Many chalcids parasitize the eggs or larvae of other insects.
- The study examined how different chalcids respond to various host species.
- Chalcids have been successfully used in integrated pest management programs.