Eupelmidae
Guides
Anastatus
eupelmid egg parasitoids
Anastatus is a large genus of chalcidoid wasps in the family Eupelmidae, comprising approximately 160 species globally with about 18 species recorded from North America north of Mexico. All species are egg parasitoids, attacking the eggs of various insects including true bugs, moths, and other arthropods. The genus exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism: females are brachypterous or apterous with powerful jumping abilities, while males are fully winged and capable of flight. Several species have been introduced as biological control agents, including A. disparis for spongy moth management and A. orientalis for spotted lanternfly control.
Anastatus mirabilis
Anastatus mirabilis is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Eupelmidae, first described by Walsh & Riley in 1869. Like other members of the genus Anastatus, it is likely an egg parasitoid, though specific host associations for this species remain poorly documented. The genus is characterized by remarkable jumping ability in females and distinct wing banding patterns. A. mirabilis is one of approximately 18 Anastatus species recorded from North America north of Mexico.
Anastatus semiflavidus
Anastatus semiflavidus is a minute egg parasitoid wasp in the family Eupelmidae. It is a specialist parasitoid of the range caterpillar (Hemileuca oliviae), a pest of rangeland grasses in western North America. The species exhibits arrhenotokous parthenogenesis, with females developing from fertilized eggs and males from unfertilized eggs. Laboratory studies demonstrate strong temperature-dependence in its development and reproduction.
Arachnophaga
Arachnophaga is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Eupelmidae. The genus has been documented infesting egg sacs of bolas spiders (genus Mastophora). As a member of Eupelmidae, it belongs to a family known for diverse parasitoid lifestyles targeting arthropod hosts.
Arachnophaga ferruginea
Arachnophaga ferruginea is a species of chalcid wasp in the family Eupelmidae, described by Gahan in 1943. The genus Arachnophaga comprises parasitoid wasps, with species known to attack spider eggs. The specific epithet 'ferruginea' refers to a rusty or iron-colored appearance. Distribution records indicate occurrence in Florida and Virginia, United States.
Balcha indica
Balcha indica is a solitary ectoparasitoid wasp in the family Eupelmidae, native to Asia and accidentally introduced to North America. It attacks larvae, prepupae, and pupae of the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis), an invasive wood-boring beetle threatening ash trees. Under laboratory conditions, the species exhibits extended adult longevity (mean 59 days, maximum 117 days) and reproduces via thelytokous parthenogenesis. Development from egg to adult takes approximately 83 days at 25°C, suggesting one to two generations per year in temperate North American regions. The species has been recovered from field surveys in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Ontario, Virginia, and West Virginia, where it functions as an adventitious biological control agent of this invasive pest.
Calosota
Calosota is a genus of chalcidoid wasps in the family Eupelmidae, subfamily Calosotinae. The genus was established by Curtis in 1836. Species in this genus are parasitoids, with at least one species, Calosota elongata, documented as a parasitoid of wood-boring beetles.
Eupelmus cynipidis
Eupelmus cynipidis is a parasitic wasp in the family Eupelmidae, subgenus Eupelmus (Eupelmus). The species was described by Ashmead in 1882. A taxonomic revision synonymized Eupelmus quercus under this name. The species is recorded from Florida and Louisiana.
Eupelmus dryohizoxeni
Eupelmus dryohizoxeni is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Eupelmidae. Like other members of the genus Eupelmus, this species possesses a highly specialized, flexible ovipositor adapted for drilling into substrates to access hosts. The genus Eupelmus includes species known for exceptional drilling capabilities, with some able to penetrate materials beyond natural plant tissues.
Eupelmus meteori
Eupelmus meteori is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Eupelmidae, first described by Gahan in 1913. It belongs to a genus known for gall-associated parasitoid biology. The species is accepted in the Catalogue of Life and iNaturalist taxonomic databases, though direct observational records remain sparse.
Lecaniobius
Lecaniobius is a genus of chalcidoid wasps in the family Eupelmidae, established by Ashmead in 1896. Members of this genus are parasitoid wasps, a characteristic common to the Eupelmidae family. The genus has been documented from Peru and the United States based on specimen records. As with many chalcidoid genera, detailed biological information remains limited in published literature.
Licrooides
Licrooides is a genus of minute parasitic wasps in the family Eupelmidae, described by Gibson in 1989. As members of the subfamily Eusandalinae, these wasps share the family's characteristic jumping ability powered by specialized mesothoracic musculature. The genus is part of the hyperdiverse chalcidoid wasp superfamily, with only three observations recorded on iNaturalist suggesting it is rarely encountered or underdocumented. Like other eupelmids, species in this genus are parasitoids of other arthropods, though specific host relationships for Licrooides remain poorly known.
Phlebopenes
Phlebopenes is a genus of parasitoid wasps in family Eupelmidae. Species were historically hypothesised to parasitise wood-boring beetles, but recent evidence from rearing records and direct observation indicates they are parasitoids of solitary wasps and bees. Phlebopenes longicaudata has been documented attacking nests of oil-collecting bees in the genus Tetrapedia.
Uropelma formosum
Uropelma formosum is a species of parasitic wasp in the family Eupelmidae, described by Sharkov in 1988. The genus Uropelma belongs to the chalcidoid wasp superfamily, a diverse group of tiny parasitoids. Distribution records indicate presence in Cuba (CU). The family Eupelmidae comprises species that are primarily parasitoids of insect eggs and larvae.
Zaischnopsis
Zaischnopsis is a genus of chalcid wasps in the family Eupelmidae, established by Ashmead in 1904. These small parasitoid wasps belong to the diverse superfamily Chalcidoidea, one of the largest groups of parasitic Hymenoptera. Species in this genus are known primarily from taxonomic descriptions rather than ecological studies. The genus is distinguished from related eupelmids by specific morphological features of the mesosoma and metasoma.