Cryptina

Cryptina wasps are distinguished from other ichneumonid subtribes by features of the subfamily Cryptinae, including a closed areolet in the forewing and typically a four-toothed mandible. Members often display striking coloration patterns of black, white, and red. Females possess long, tail-like ovipositors used for egg-laying in concealed hosts.

Habitats are determined by host availability; species within Cryptina are associated with environments where their moth hosts occur, including areas with sunflowers, cacti, and various woody plants.

Nearly worldwide; includes North America with multiple species present in Colorado and other regions.

Activity coincides with host availability; observations in Colorado Springs during summer months when sunflowers are flowering and producing extrafloral nectaries.

• Acrobasis - parasitoidstem-boring or shoot-boring caterpillars in Pyralidae
• Plodia interpunctella - parasitoidIndianmeal Moth, stored product pest in Pyralidae
• Euzophera semifuneralis - parasitoidAmerican Plum Borer, caterpillars feed beneath bark
• Homoeosoma electella - parasitoidSunflower Moth caterpillars
• Crambidae - parasitoidcaterpillars of this moth family
• Tortricidae - parasitoidcaterpillars of this moth family

Parasitoid development: females use elongated ovipositors to insert eggs into concealed caterpillar hosts. Larvae develop internally within the host, eventually killing it. Host associations are documented for relatively few species.

Adults visit extrafloral nectaries on plants such as sunflowers to feed on sweet secretions. They persistently evade ants that defend these nectar sources. Males lack the elongated ovipositor present in females.

Biological control agents that regulate populations of moth caterpillars, including agricultural and stored product pests.

Important natural enemies of pest moths including the Indianmeal Moth and American Plum Borer. May be encountered by people raising caterpillars, emerging from hosts instead of the expected moth or butterfly.

• other Ichneumonidae subtribesCryptina is distinguished within Cryptinae by specific morphological features; other subtribes in the same subfamily share the closed areolet but differ in mandible structure and other characters

The female ovipositor is frequently mistaken for a venomous stinger, causing alarm, but it is solely an egg-laying structure and not used defensively.

• parasitoid
• ichneumon wasp
• biological control
• moth parasite

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• Bug Eric: Wasp Wednesday: Mesostenus