Mummy-wasp
Guides
Aleiodes
mummy-wasps, Common Mummy Wasps
Aleiodes is a large cosmopolitan genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Braconidae, commonly known as mummy-wasps. The genus was established by Constantin Wesmael in 1838 and contains thousands of described species, with exceptional diversity in the Western Hemisphere. Females are solitary koinobiont endoparasitoids that attack caterpillars, laying eggs inside living hosts. The developing wasp larvae consume the host from within, eventually killing it and causing the remains to harden into a distinctive 'mummy' from which the adult emerges.
Aleiodes aciculatus
Aleiodes aciculatus is a species of braconid wasp described by Ezra Cresson in 1869. It belongs to the genus Aleiodes, a large group of koinobiont endoparasitoids known for mummifying their caterpillar hosts. The species is among the earliest described members of this genus in North America. Like other Aleiodes species, it parasitizes lepidopteran larvae, though specific host records for A. aciculatus remain limited in published literature.
Aleiodes burrus
Aleiodes burrus is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Braconidae, first described by Cresson in 1869. Like other members of the genus Aleiodes, it is a koinobiont endoparasitoid of caterpillars. The species is part of a large genus containing numerous species that mummify their hosts. Specific biological details for A. burrus remain poorly documented in published literature.
Aleiodes granulatus
Aleiodes granulatus is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Braconidae, subfamily Rogadinae. It was described by DeGant in 1930. Like other members of the genus Aleiodes, it is a koinobiont endoparasitoid of lepidopteran caterpillars, with larvae developing inside living hosts before eventually killing and mummifying them. The specific epithet 'granulatus' refers to a granular surface texture, likely of the body integument.
Aleiodes malacosomatos
Tent Caterpillar Mummy Wasp
Aleiodes malacosomatos is a parasitoid wasp in the family Braconidae, first described by Mason in 1979. The common name "Tent Caterpillar Mummy Wasp" reflects its parasitic relationship with tent caterpillars (Malacosoma spp.), a genus of lappet moths. Like other members of the genus Aleiodes, this species is a koinobiont endoparasitoid that develops inside living caterpillars, eventually killing and mummifying the host. The species is part of a diverse genus of mummy-wasps that have gained scientific and public attention for their distinctive biology and, in some cases, celebrity-inspired species names.
Aleiodes sanctihyacinthi
Aleiodes sanctihyacinthi is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Braconidae, originally described by Provancher in 1880. As a member of the genus Aleiodes, it is part of a diverse group known for their distinctive mummification of caterpillar hosts. The species epithet references Saint-Hyacinthe, a location in Quebec, Canada, reflecting its North American origin. Very few documented observations of this species exist in public databases.
Aleiodes stigmator
Stigmata Mummy Wasp
Aleiodes stigmator is a parasitoid wasp in the family Braconidae, first described by Thomas Say in 1824. Like other members of the genus Aleiodes, it is a koinobiont endoparasitoid that develops inside living caterpillars, eventually killing and mummifying its host. The species has been recorded in the northeastern United States, including Vermont. It belongs to a diverse genus containing over 100 described species, many of which are understudied tropical taxa.
Aleiodes texanus
Aleiodes texanus is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Braconidae, first described by Cresson in 1869. Like other members of the genus Aleiodes, it is a koinobiont endoparasitoid that develops inside host caterpillars, eventually killing and mummifying them. The species is known from limited records, with at least one observation documented on iNaturalist. The genus Aleiodes has been extensively studied in tropical regions, with many new species described from Ecuador and other Neotropical areas, though A. texanus appears to be a more temperate North American species based on its original description.
Rogadinae
Mummy Wasps
Rogadinae is a large, cosmopolitan subfamily of braconid parasitoid wasps commonly known as "mummy wasps." Members are koinobiont endoparasitoids of lepidopteran larvae, uniquely characterized by causing their host caterpillars to mummify—the wasp larva pupates within the desiccated host remains. The subfamily contains six tribes (Aleiodini, Betylobraconini, Clinocentrini, Rogadini, Stiropiini, Yeliconini) and is especially diverse in the genus Aleiodes. Several species are important natural biological control agents of agricultural pest caterpillars.