Paper-wasp-associate
Guides
Chalcoela iphitalis
Sooty-winged Chalcoela, Sooty-winged Chalcoela Moth
Chalcoela iphitalis is a small moth in the family Crambidae that functions as a brood parasite of social paper wasps. The species is notable for its striking coloration: the head, thorax, and anterior forewings are yellow-orange, while the posterior forewings and hindwings are gray-silver with black marginal spots. Adults are active from May to August across North America. The larvae are specialized predators of wasp pupae and pre-pupae within Polistes and Mischocyttarus nests, and represent a rare case of a lepidopteran acting as a parasitoid of hymenopterans.
Elasmus
Elasmus is a genus of chalcid wasps containing over 200 species worldwide. It is the sole member of the subfamily Elasminae (formerly family Elasmidae), though some authorities now place it within Eulophinae. Species are primarily parasitoids or hyperparasitoids, with documented hosts including lepidopteran larvae and larvae of Polistes paper wasps.