Meteorinae

meteorine wasps

Genus Guides

2

Meteorinae is a of braconid , though since 2015 most scientists have treated this clade as the tribe Meteorini within Euphorinae. The group is characterized by koinobiont endoparasitoid , attacking larval Coleoptera and Lepidoptera. The subfamily's name derives from the distinctive pupal stage, in which the cocoon hangs suspended from a long silk thread when parasitizing lepidopteran . Several have been employed in programs against forest and agricultural pests.

Meteorus rubens by Gergely Várkonyi, Finnish Environment Institute. Used under a Copyrighted free use license.2019 05 06 Zele albiditarsus 1c by Slimguy. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.2019 05 10 Zele albiditarsus Hinterfluegel by Slimguy. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Meteorinae: /mɛtiˈɔrɪneɪ/

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Identification

Meteorines are distinguished by wing venation: an open 1st subdiscal and a four-sided 2nd subdiscal cell on the forewings. They possess a (narrowly stalked) waist. The suspended pupal cocoon on a long silk thread is a distinctive trait for attacking Lepidoptera.

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Habitat

Found in where larvae occur, including forests and agricultural systems. In the Neotropics, many inhabit Andean forests above 2000 m elevation.

Distribution

distribution. The Meteorus contains nearly 250 worldwide, with better-known faunas in the Palearctic, Nearctic, Afrotropical, and Australian regions. Two genera, Meteorus and Zele, occur in North America.

Host Associations

Life Cycle

Koinobiont endoparasitoids, developing within living larvae. Most are solitary, laying a single per host, though some are gregarious with multiple larvae developing within one host. occurs within a cocoon that, in lepidopteran hosts, hangs suspended from a long silk thread.

Behavior

of many are . Gregarious and solitary development strategies both occur within the . show preference for chemically defended or 'nasty' caterpillars.

Ecological Role

agents of caterpillar and larvae. Natural enemies of agricultural and forest pests including armyworms, cutworms, loopers, and bark beetles.

Human Relevance

Several used in programs. Meteorus pulchricornus imported to North America for gypsy moth control. M. vesicolor introduced to the United States in the early 1900s for brown-tail moth control. M. trachynotus investigated for spruce budworm control, and M. hypophloei for bark beetle control. Other species used against cutworms, avocado looper, and citrus swallowtail pests.

Similar Taxa

  • EuphorinaeMeteorinae has been reclassified as tribe Meteorini within Euphorinae since 2015; shares koinobiont endoparasitoid but differs in wing venation and pupal cocoon structure
  • Other Braconidae subfamiliesDistinguished by the combination of open 1st subdiscal , four-sided 2nd subdiscal cell, waist, and suspended pupal cocoon on silk thread

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Sources and further reading