Hyperparasitoids can be divided into secondary parasitoids when they develop at the expense of a primary parasitoid, or tertiary ones when the host is itself a hyperparasitoid. In this strategy, two options are possible. Either the tertiary hyperparasitoid parasitizes an individual of its own species (auto-hyperparasitism) or it develops by taking advantage of different species other than its own (allo-hyperparasitism). Instances of even a fourth level can occur but these are very difficult to observe.

Classification of principal hyperparasitoids

PARASITICA (SUB-ORDER) : 

Chalcicoïdea (Superfamily):

○ Pteromalidae (Family) :

  - Asaphinae (Subfamily) : 

• Asaphes sp. (Genus)

 - Pteromalinae :

• Pachyneuron sp.
• Coruna sp.
• Euneura sp.

○ Encyrtidae

  - Encyrtinae :  

• Syrphophagus sp.

○ Eulophidae

  - Tetrastichinae

• Tetrastichus sp

Ceraphronoïdea : 

○ Megaspilidae :

• Dendrocerus sp.

Cynipoïdea :

○ Charipidae : 

  - Alloxystinae

• Alloxysta sp.
• Phaenoglyphis sp.

The Alloxysta are koinobiont endoparasitoids: they lay their egg on aphids parasitized but still alive. The Asaphes and Dendrocerus are idiobiont ectoparasitoids: they lay the egg on aphid mummies. As for Syrphophagus, they are koinobiont endoparasitoids on parasitized yet living aphids and on their mummified forms.