Parasitoid
Guides
Dasymutilla californica
Dasymutilla californica is a species of velvet ant (family Mutillidae) native to California and adjacent regions. Like all mutillids, females are wingless and possess a potent sting, while males are winged and do not sting. This species is part of a large genus of solitary parasitoid wasps that target ground-nesting bees and wasps. The species name reflects its primary geographic association with California.
Dasymutilla calorata
Dasymutilla calorata is a species of velvet ant in the family Mutillidae, first described by Mickel in 1928. Like other members of the genus, females are wingless while males possess wings. The species belongs to a large group of solitary parasitoid wasps known for their potent sting and aposematic coloration. Specific biological details for this species remain poorly documented in published literature.
Dasymutilla fasciventris
Dasymutilla fasciventris is a species of velvet ant (family Mutillidae), a group of solitary parasitoid wasps in which females are wingless and males are winged. The species occurs in the southwestern United States and western Mexico. Like other Dasymutilla species, females possess a powerful sting used for defense and host subjugation, while males are harmless and fly in search of nectar and mates. The species develops as an external parasitoid of ground-nesting bees and wasps.
Dasymutilla foxi
velvet ant
Dasymutilla foxi is a velvet ant species in the family Mutillidae, found in Mexico and the southwestern United States. The species exhibits highly variable setal coloration, with body segments ranging from whitish to reddish; eastern populations in Colorado, Kansas, and Texas typically display a black setal patch on the mesosoma. First described by Theodore D. A. Cockerell and named for William J. Fox, this species has been subject to taxonomic revision with Dasymutilla phoenix and Dasymutilla dugesii synonymized under it. Females are wingless and possess a potent sting, while males are winged.
Dasymutilla gloriosa
Thistledown Velvet Ant
Dasymutilla gloriosa, commonly known as the thistledown velvet ant, is a species of wasp in the family Mutillidae. It exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism and dichromatism: females are wingless, densely covered with long white hairs that provide camouflage resembling creosote bush seeds, while males have wings and more typical coloration. The species inhabits arid regions of the southwestern United States and Mexico, where its unique appearance has been interpreted as both crypsis and thermal adaptation.
Dasymutilla gorgon
Dasymutilla gorgon is a species of velvet ant (family Mutillidae) native to central North America. Like all mutillids, it is a solitary wasp with wingless females and winged males. The species occurs from Colorado to Louisiana, inhabiting arid and semi-arid regions. As a member of the genus Dasymutilla, females likely exhibit aposematic coloration warning of their potent sting.
Dasymutilla heliophila
Dasymutilla heliophila is a species of velvet ant, a family of solitary parasitic wasps in which only males possess wings. The species was described by Cockerell in 1900. Like other members of the genus Dasymutilla, females are wingless and possess a powerful sting. The species belongs to a diverse genus known for aposematic coloration and Müllerian mimicry complexes.
Dasymutilla klugii
Klug's velvet ant
Dasymutilla klugii, commonly known as Klug's velvet ant, is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Mutillidae. Despite the common name, it is not an ant but a solitary wasp. Females are wingless and possess a potent sting, while males are winged. The species is the most frequently encountered velvet ant in Texas and has been documented using cicada-killer wasp nests (Sphecius grandis) as hosts for its larvae. The specific epithet honors German entomologist Johann C. F. Klug.
Dasymutilla leda
Dasymutilla leda is a species of velvet ant in the family Mutillidae, native to the central United States. Only females have been collected by scientists, making this a species known exclusively from wingless, solitary individuals. The male remains undescribed, though D. myrice has been proposed as a possible match based on distribution and coloration patterns. Like other velvet ants, females are capable of delivering a painful sting and are parasitoids of ground-nesting bees and wasps.
Dasymutilla macilenta
Dasymutilla macilenta is a species of velvet ant in the family Mutillidae. Like all mutillids, females are wingless and capable of delivering a painful sting, while males possess wings. The species belongs to a large genus of velvet ants distributed primarily in North America, with many species exhibiting bright aposematic coloration warning predators of their defensive capabilities.
Dasymutilla magna
Dasymutilla magna is a species of velvet ant in the family Mutillidae, described by Cresson in 1865. Like other members of the genus, females are wingless and possess a powerful sting, while males are winged. The species belongs to a large Müllerian mimicry complex where numerous velvet ant species share bright aposematic coloration warning predators of their defensive capabilities. Specific biological details for this species remain poorly documented in published literature.
Dasymutilla myrice
Dasymutilla myrice is a species of velvet ant in the family Mutillidae. Like other members of this family, it is a solitary wasp with wingless females and winged males. The species belongs to a genus known for aposematic coloration and potent stings in females. Specific biological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Dasymutilla nigripes
velvet ant
Dasymutilla nigripes is a species of velvet ant (family Mutillidae) native to North America. Females are wingless and possess a powerful sting, while males are winged. The species has been documented as a likely parasite of beewolf wasp nests. It is widespread across the United States and occurs in Alberta, Canada.
Dasymutilla nogalensis
velvet ant
Dasymutilla nogalensis is a velvet ant species native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. The male and female were originally described as separate species in 1928—Dasymutilla atrifulva for males and Dasymutilla nogalensis for females—before being synonymized in 2007 based on their conspecific status. As a member of the family Mutillidae, this species exhibits the characteristic sexual dimorphism of velvet ants: wingless females and winged males.
Dasymutilla occidentalis
Common Eastern Velvet Ant, Red Velvet Ant, Cow Killer, Cow Ant, Eastern Velvet Ant
Dasymutilla occidentalis is a large, solitary parasitoid wasp in the family Mutillidae, commonly known as the eastern velvet ant or cow killer. Females are wingless, densely covered in velvety red and black hairs, and possess an extremely painful sting. Males are winged and less conspicuously colored. The species is an external parasitoid of ground-nesting bees and wasps, with females actively searching for host nests to lay eggs on or near developing larvae. Despite its common name, it is not an ant but a true wasp, and its sting, while intensely painful, cannot actually kill a cow.
Dasymutilla parksi
Dasymutilla parksi is a species of velvet ant (family Mutillidae), a group of solitary parasitoid wasps in which females are wingless and males are winged. First described by Mickel in 1936, this species belongs to a genus containing over 450 North American species, many of which exhibit bright aposematic coloration advertising their potent sting. Like other velvet ants, females are known for their powerful defensive sting and erratic, rapid ground movement. The biology and host associations of D. parksi specifically remain poorly documented.
Dasymutilla satanas
Satan's velvet ant
Dasymutilla satanas, commonly called Satan's velvet ant, is a species of wingless female wasp in the family Mutillidae found in the arid deserts of the Great Basin region of North America. The species name references the harsh desert environment it inhabits. Females are notably large for the genus, comparable in size to Dasymutilla magna and Dasymutilla sackenii. Like other velvet ants, females possess a powerful sting and are solitary parasitoids of ground-nesting insects.
Dasymutilla scaevola
Dasymutilla scaevola is a velvet ant species native to North America, widely distributed across the eastern half of the continent. Like other mutillids, females are wingless while males possess wings. The species is a parasitoid wasp that develops within the cocoons of other ground-nesting Hymenoptera. Research has demonstrated that females locate host nests primarily through contact chemoreception of chemical cues from host cocoons and nest materials, rather than visual cues.
Dasymutilla sicheliana
Dasymutilla sicheliana is a species of velvet ant (family Mutillidae), a group of solitary parasitoid wasps in which females are wingless and males are winged. The species occurs in arid regions of the southwestern United States and Mexico. Like other Dasymutilla species, females possess a powerful sting used for defense and host subjugation. The species develops as an external parasitoid of ground-nesting bees and wasps.
Dasymutilla stevensi
Dasymutilla stevensi is a species of velvet ant in the family Mutillidae, native to dryland regions of North America. The species was described by Mickel in 1928 and named for O. A. Stevens, who collected the type specimen in Medora, North Dakota. It occurs from North Dakota south to Guanajuato, Mexico, inhabiting arid and semi-arid environments. Like other velvet ants, females are wingless and capable of delivering a painful sting, while males possess wings and do not sting.
Dasymutilla texanella
Dasymutilla texanella is a velvet ant species in the family Mutillidae, a group of solitary parasitoid wasps in which females are wingless and males are winged. Like other Dasymutilla species, females possess a potent sting used for defense and host subjugation. The species was described by Mickel in 1928. As with most velvet ants, females are parasitoids of ground-nesting bees and wasps, laying eggs in host nests where larvae consume the host's developing young.
Dasymutilla thetis
minute thistledown velvet ant, Little Velvet Ant
Dasymutilla thetis, commonly known as the minute thistledown velvet ant, is a small velvet ant species endemic to Arizona. First described by Charles A. Blake in 1886 as Sphaerophthalma thetis, it was later transferred to Dasymutilla. The species is notable for its entirely white-furred females, which participate in a Müllerian mimicry complex among pale desert velvet ants. Its small size (approximately 7 mm) distinguishes it from larger thistledown velvet ants such as Dasymutilla gloriosa.
Dasymutilla waco
Dasymutilla waco is a species of velvet ant (family Mutillidae), a group of solitary parasitoid wasps in which females are wingless and males are winged. The species was described by Blake in 1871 and belongs to the large genus Dasymutilla, which contains many brightly colored species known for their powerful sting. Like other velvet ants, females are active ground-dwellers that seek out host nests to parasitize. The species epithet "waco" refers to Waco, Texas, suggesting a type locality or association with that region.
Dasymutillini
velvet ants
Dasymutillini is a tribe of velvet ants (Mutillidae) characterized by dense, velvety pubescence and aposematic coloration. Members are solitary wasps with wingless females and winged males. The tribe includes the genus Dasymutilla, which contains numerous species across the Americas. Females are known for their extremely painful stings, among the most intense of any insect.
Deinodryinus
Deinodryinus is a genus of dryinid wasps established by Perkins in 1907. The genus contains at least five described species distributed across multiple continents, including Madagascar, Brazil, and Mexico. Members are parasitoid wasps, though specific host associations remain largely undocumented. The genus exhibits an almost cosmopolitan distribution pattern.
Deinodryinus atriventris
Deinodryinus atriventris is a species of dryinid wasp first described by Cresson in 1872. Members of the genus Deinodryinus are ectoparasitoids of Hemiptera, particularly leafhoppers and planthoppers (Cicadellidae and Fulgoroidea). The species is part of the family Dryinidae, a group characterized by females that possess raptorial forelegs adapted for capturing host insects. Observations of this species are sparse, with limited published biological data available.
Deinodryinus paradoxus
Deinodryinus paradoxus is a species of dryinid wasp in the family Dryinidae. The genus Deinodryinus belongs to a group of parasitoid wasps that are characterized by their distinctive foreleg morphology, which is modified for grasping host insects. Members of Dryinidae are known to parasitize leafhoppers and planthoppers (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha). The specific epithet "paradoxus" suggests some unusual or unexpected morphological feature, though the original description details are not available in the provided sources. The species has no recorded observations on iNaturalist.
Delomerista
Delomerista is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Ichneumonidae, established by Förster in 1869. The genus contains at least two described species: D. borealis and D. mandibularis. Members of this genus have been recorded across Eurasia, North America, and Southern Africa. As ichneumonid wasps, they are presumed to be parasitoids of other insects, though specific host associations remain undocumented in the available sources.
Dendrocerus
Dendrocerus is a genus of megaspilid wasps in the family Megaspilidae, comprising more than 100 described species. Members of this genus are hyperparasitoids, primarily attacking aphid parasitoids in the family Braconidae (Aphidiinae), particularly Aphidius species. The genus is characterized by elaborate branched antennae and specialized morphological adaptations for host location and exploitation. Some species exhibit nocturnal activity patterns and unique extrication structures for emerging from hosts.
Dendrocerus conwentziae
Dendrocerus conwentziae is a species of megaspilid wasp in the family Megaspilidae. It was described by Gahan in 1919 and occurs across North America from southern Mexico to southern Canada. As a member of the superfamily Ceraphronoidea, it belongs to a group of small parasitoid wasps. The species is part of a genus that contains multiple species, though specific biological details for this particular species remain limited in the available literature.
Dendrocranulus californicus
Dendrocranulus californicus is a species of parasitic wasp in the family Encyrtidae, a group within the superfamily Chalcidoidea. The genus Dendrocranulus is represented in the University of California, Riverside (UCR) Encyrtidae collection, one of the largest and most important collections of this family globally. Species in this genus are parasitoids, typically associated with scale insects or other hemipteran hosts. The specific epithet 'californicus' indicates a geographic association with California.
Deopalpus
Deopalpus is a genus of tachinid flies (family Tachinidae) established by Townsend in 1908. The genus contains approximately 28 described species distributed across the Americas, with records from North America, Central America, and South America. As members of Tachinidae, these flies are parasitoids, though specific host associations for most Deopalpus species remain poorly documented. The genus is classified in the subfamily Tachininae and tribe Tachinini.
Deopalpus hirsutus
Deopalpus hirsutus is a species of bristle fly in the family Tachinidae, described by Townsend in 1908. The species is known from North America, with records from Canada, the United States, and Mexico. As a tachinid fly, it is presumed to be a parasitoid, though specific host associations for this species remain undocumented. The genus Deopalpus is part of the diverse tribe Tachinini within the subfamily Tachininae.
Deopalpus parksi
Deopalpus parksi is a species of tachinid fly described by Reinhard in 1934. The genus Deopalpus is a small group within the diverse Tachinidae family, which comprises parasitoid flies. Few observations of this species exist in public databases, with only four records on iNaturalist. Its biology and host relationships remain poorly documented.
Derostenus
Derostenus is a genus of small parasitoid wasps in the family Eulophidae, first described by Westwood in 1833. The genus contains five recognized species distributed across Asia, Europe, and North America. European and North American species are solitary endoparasitoids of leaf-mining moth larvae in the genus Stigmella (Nepticulidae), while the biology of Asian species remains unknown. Two species groups have been established based on morphological differences: the gemmeus group (European and North American species) and the sulciscuta group (Asian species).
Derostenus freemani
Derostenus freemani is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Eulophidae, first described from the Nearctic region in 1973. It is a solitary endoparasitoid of Stigmella larvae (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae), minute moths commonly known as pygmy or midget moths. The species was originally placed in the subgenus Nearctostenus, though subsequent revision abandoned this subgeneric division in favor of species-group classification, placing D. freemani in the gemmeus group alongside European species.
Deuterixys
Deuterixys is a genus of braconid wasps established by Mason in 1981. The genus contains approximately 18 described species with a cosmopolitan distribution spanning most of the world. As members of Braconidae, species in this genus are parasitoid wasps. Specific biological details for individual species remain poorly documented in available literature.
Dexia
Dexia is a genus of tachinid flies (Diptera: Tachinidae) established by Meigen in 1826. The genus belongs to the subfamily Dexiinae and tribe Dexiini. Most larvae are parasitoids of scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), though some species attack other beetle families. The genus is distributed across Europe, with confirmed records from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
Dexia ventralis
Dexia ventralis is a tachinid fly described by Aldrich in 1925. As a member of the family Tachinidae, it is a parasitoid fly, though specific host relationships for this species remain undocumented. The species is recorded from North America with limited observational data available.
Dexiinae
Dexiinae is a subfamily of tachinid flies (Diptera: Tachinidae) comprising approximately 15 tribes and over 500 described species. Members are parasitoids, with larvae developing inside host insects. The subfamily has a cosmopolitan distribution and includes notable genera such as Dexia, Rutilia, and Voria. Australasian Dexiini have been shown to parasitize scarabaeid beetle larvae (soil-dwelling) and cerambycid beetle larvae (wood-dwelling), with host associations correlating to morphological traits.
Dexiini
Dexiini is a tribe of tachinid flies (family Tachinidae) comprising approximately 130 genera distributed worldwide. Members are parasitoid flies whose larvae develop inside beetle hosts. The tribe is particularly diverse in the Australasian region, where systematic revisions have clarified relationships among endemic genera.
Diachasmimorpha
Diachasmimorpha is a genus of braconid parasitoid wasps in the subfamily Opiinae, established in 1913. The genus is most clearly defined by an apical sinuate ovipositor, a synapomorphic character that defines a monophyletic lineage. Species in this genus are solitary endoparasitoids of tephritid fruit fly larvae and are widely used as biological control agents in integrated pest management programs. The genus is relatively small and primarily distributed in subtropical regions, with some species extending into the Nearctic and northern Neotropical regions.
Diadegma
Diadegma is a genus of ichneumonid wasps established by Förster in 1869. Species in this genus are koinobiont parasitoids, primarily attacking lepidopteran larvae. Several species, notably D. insulare and D. semiclausum, have been extensively studied and deployed as biological control agents against agricultural pests, particularly the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella). The genus contains over 200 described species with cosmopolitan distribution.
Diadromus
pupal parasitoid wasps
Diadromus is a genus of ichneumonid wasps comprising over two dozen species distributed across Europe and North America. Species in this genus are endoparasitoids, primarily attacking lepidopteran hosts at the pupal stage. Several species, notably D. pulchellus and D. collaris, have been extensively studied for their biological control potential against agricultural pests including leek moth and diamondback moth. The genus exhibits complex host-finding behaviors mediated by volatile chemical cues and shows variable relationships with symbiotic viruses.
Diaeretiella
Diaeretiella is a monotypic genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Braconidae, subfamily Aphidiinae. The sole species, Diaeretiella rapae, is a cosmopolitan koinobiont endoparasitoid of aphids with documented occurrence in 87 countries. It has been recorded parasitizing approximately 98 aphid species across more than 180 plant species in 43 plant families, with particular association to cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae) on cruciferous crops. The genus is recognized as an important biological control agent in integrated pest management systems.
Diaphania indica
cucumber moth, cotton caterpillar, leaf roller
Diaphania indica is a widespread moth species occurring primarily in tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World, native to southern Asia. It is a significant agricultural pest of cucurbitaceous crops, with larvae feeding on leaves, stems, and fruits of host plants. The species has been documented on multiple continents and is subject to biological control efforts using parasitoid wasps. Laboratory studies have established detailed demographic parameters and life cycle duration.
Diapria
Diapria is a genus of minute parasitoid wasps in the family Diapriidae. These insects are primarily known as parasitoids of Diptera larvae, particularly those developing in decaying organic matter. The genus has been recorded from northern Europe including Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Taxonomic placement has been historically unstable, with some sources formerly placing species in Chalcididae.
Diapriidae
Diapriidae is a family of minute parasitoid wasps in the order Hymenoptera. Adults range from 1–8 mm in length, with most species measuring 2–4 mm. The family contains approximately 2,300 described species in around 150–200 genera, though estimates suggest at least 4,500 species exist globally. Members are primarily parasitoids of Diptera larvae and pupae, with some species attacking Coleoptera or associated with ants. The family exhibits considerable morphological diversity, including frequent winglessness and pronounced sexual dimorphism.
Diapriini
Diapriini is a tribe of parasitoid wasps within the family Diapriidae. Members are small, slender wasps with reduced wing venation characteristic of the family. They are primarily known as parasitoids of Diptera larvae, particularly in soil and decaying organic matter habitats. The tribe is cosmopolitan in distribution with substantial representation in temperate regions.
Diaprioidea
Diaprioidea is a superfamily of small parasitoid wasps within Hymenoptera, containing five extant families: Diapriidae, Ismaridae, Maamingidae, Monomachidae, and Austroniidae. Members are generally minute to small in size, with many species exhibiting reduced wing venation. The group has a fossil record extending to the mid-Cretaceous, with numerous specimens preserved in amber. Diapriidae is the largest and most cosmopolitan family, while other families have restricted distributions. Many species are associated with ants or other insects as parasitoids.