Paper-wasp-parasite
Guides
Pachysomoides fulvus
Pachysomoides fulvus is a small ichneumon wasp that parasitizes paper wasps (Polistes spp.) in North America. The female wasp lays eggs on larvae or pupae inside the exposed paper comb nests of its hosts. It ranges from New York to Florida and west to California and British Columbia, though it does not appear to be abundant anywhere. The species is notable for targeting social wasps that are typically well-defended, making it a specialized parasitoid despite its relatively small size.