Braconid and Ichneumonid Wasps

Ichneumonoidea

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Superfamily: Ichneumonoidea

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Ichneumonoidea: /ɪkˌnjuːmoʊˈnɔɪdiə/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Heterospilus eurostae female by Beatriz Moisset. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Dinocampus coccinellae 8104414 by Eddie Dunbar. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Bracon hebetor by J. Bower. Used under a Public domain license.

Charmon cruentatus (51630002672) by gailhampshire. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Dinocampus coccinellae 128383505 by bemma. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Atanycolus longicauda female by Beatriz Moisset. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Summary

The superfamily Ichneumonoidea includes over 42,000 described species and potentially many more undescribed species. It is defined by distinct morphological traits and includes significant families such as Ichneumonidae and Braconidae, known for their roles as parasitoids and biocontrol agents.

Physical Characteristics

Pronotum more or less triangular in profile, extending to tegula or nearly so. Antennae threadlike, usually at least 16-segmented. Hind trochanters 2-segmented. Ovipositor rises in front of apex of abdomen, non-retractable, often as long or longer than body. Fore wings without a costal cell.

Identification Tips

Ichneumonids may be more familiar to non-entomologists than braconids as they are generally larger. The two families can be distinguished primarily by details of wing venation. Braconids have fore wings lacking vein 2m-cu, while Ichneumonids have fore wings with vein 2m-cu present and tubular.

Distribution

Cosmopolitan distribution across the globe, with a high diversity in various habitats.

Diet

Larvae are parasitoids that feed on or in another insect until it finally dies. Most hosts are holometabolous insect larvae, but there are exceptions.

Life Cycle

Ichneumonoids are solitary insects, and the vast majority are parasitoids. The female lays an egg on, near, or inside the host's body. The larva feeds either externally or internally on the host, eventually killing it before pupation.

Reproduction

The ovipositor is used for laying eggs indirectly through boring into hosts or reaching those hidden in leaf shelters. They are typically host specific.

Ecosystem Role

Many ichneumonoids are used as biological control agents to regulate pest populations in agriculture and forestry.

Economic Impact

They play a significant role as biocontrol agents in agriculture and forestry.

Evolution

Parasitoidism evolved once in Hymenoptera during the Permian, leading to Apocrita and Orussoidea, but has been lost multiple times. Apocrita emerged in the Jurassic.

Similar Taxa

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