This parasitoid is a solitary ectoparasitoid of larvae in fruits. It has only been found from Tegeticula larvae although females have been observed searching the inflorescence stem that only contain Prodxous larvae. This is the largest of the yucca moth parasitoids. Adults are orange and black with smoky-colored wings. Females have ovipositors as long as the body. This genus was renamed from Iphiaulux. Earlier publications on yucca moths used Iphiaulux. Digonogastra has been collected in Mexico, southern California, Arizona, and Texas.

Beau Crabb at Vanderbilt University is conducting research on the impact that Digonogastra parasitism has on the mutualism between yuccas and yucca moths. Beau has demonstrated that fruit with parasitized moth larvae mature significantly more seeds than fruit in which larvae are allowed to fully develop. Digonogastra has also been observed feeding on fruit exudate. Yuccas may be attracting natural enemies such as Digonogastra to reduce the cost of the mutualism with its pollinating yucca moths. Contact Beau for more information about his research on tritrophic interactions among yuccas, yucca moths, and Digonogastra.

Species attacked in fruits		.	Species attacked in inflorescence stalk
Moth species	Yucca species	.	Moth species	Yucca species
Teg. elatella	Y. elata
Teg. maderae	Y. schottii	.	.	.
Teg. mojavella	Y. schidigera	.	.	.
Teg. synthetica	Y. brevifolia	.	.	.
Teg. treculeanella	Y. treculeana	.	.	.
.Teg. n. sp.	Y. periculosa	.	.	.
.	.	.	.	.
.	.	.	.	.

Last updated July 2001; David Althoff