Parasitoid
Guides
Aethecerus parvus
Aethecerus parvus is a species of ichneumonid wasp described by Provancher in 1875. It belongs to the family Ichneumonidae, one of the largest families of wasps, whose members are primarily parasitoids of other insects. The genus Aethecerus is part of the superfamily Ichneumonoidea. Available records for this species are extremely limited, with only one observation documented in iNaturalist.
Agathidinae
agathidine wasps
Agathidinae is a large subfamily of braconid wasps comprising koinobiont endoparasitoids of lepidopteran larvae. Members are distinguished by elongated facial structures in several genera, bright coloration in diurnal tropical species, and specialized mouthpart adaptations for nectar feeding. The subfamily is taxonomically complex, with phylogenetic studies revising tribal arrangements from 2 to 7 tribes. Species have been successfully employed in biological control programs against agricultural and forestry pests.
Agathidini
Agathidini is a tribe of braconid parasitoid wasps within the subfamily Agathidinae. Members are found primarily in Southeast Asia, with particular diversity in Thailand. The tribe has undergone significant taxonomic revision, with ten new genera described in 2017 to address previous issues of species being placed in 'dumping ground' genera. Females lay eggs inside early-stage caterpillars of various moths, with larvae developing internally and consuming the host before it pupates.
Agathilla
Agathilla is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Ichneumonidae, established by Westwood in 1882. It belongs to the diverse superfamily Ichneumonoidea, which contains thousands of species that parasitize other insects. Members of this genus are small to medium-sized wasps with the characteristic slender body and long antennae typical of ichneumonids. The genus is rarely encountered and poorly documented in scientific literature.
Agathilla bradleyi
Agathilla bradleyi is a species of ichneumon wasp in the family Ichneumonidae, described by Viereck in 1905. It belongs to the genus Agathilla, a group of parasitoid wasps within the superfamily Ichneumonoidea. The species is part of the diverse Hymenoptera fauna of North America. Like other ichneumonids, it is presumed to be a parasitoid, though specific host associations and detailed biology remain poorly documented.
Agathirsia
Agathirsia is a genus of parasitic wasps in the family Braconidae (subfamily Agathidinae). Species exhibit interspecific variation in mouthpart length, with glossa lengths ranging from short to elongated. Adult wasps visit flowers for carbohydrate resources, and mouthpart length influences feeding efficiency and floral visitation patterns. Pollen analysis indicates that species with elongated mouthparts access similar nectar sources regardless of tongue length, while short-tongued species show distinct floral associations.
Agathis longipalpus
A small parasitoid wasp in the subfamily Agathidinae, characterized by an elongated face and long mouthparts. Adults are known to visit flowers to feed on nectar using these extended palps. Females are internal parasitoids of caterpillars, with larvae developing inside host larvae. The species is part of a group frequently noted for red and black coloration.
Agathis malvacearum
Agathis malvacearum is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Braconidae, subfamily Agathidinae. It is a small wasp, measuring approximately 6–10 mm, with distinctive red and black coloration and an elongated, narrow face characteristic of the genus Agathis. The species is known to visit flowers for nectar and to parasitize caterpillars as part of its life cycle. It has been recorded from Europe, Northern Asia, and North America.
Ageniaspis
Ageniaspis is a genus of polyembryonic encyrtid parasitoid wasps in the family Encyrtidae. The genus contains species that are important biological control agents, particularly Ageniaspis citricola, which has been widely introduced for classical biological control of the citrus leafminer (Phyllocnistis citrella) in multiple countries including the United States, Brazil, and Tunisia. Another species, Ageniaspis fuscicollis, is a parasitoid of the apple ermine moth (Yponomeuta malinellus). Species in this genus exhibit arrhenotokous parthenogenesis and are characterized by their ability to produce multiple offspring from single eggs through polyembryony.
Ageniella accepta
Ageniella accepta is a small spider wasp (family Pompilidae) found across the southern United States and Mexico. Females exhibit striking ant-mimicry through orange-brown coloration and dark wing bands that resemble the constricted waist of ants. The species is part of the 'accepta species group' alongside A. conflicta and A. blaisdelli, with which it shares similar morphology and biology. Females hunt spiders to provision nests for their larvae.
Ageniella agenioides
Ageniella agenioides is a species of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae. The genus Ageniella includes small species that exhibit ant-mimicry, with females typically displaying orange and brown coloration with banded wings. Species-level identification within Ageniella is challenging and often requires expert examination rather than field observation alone. The genus as a whole is poorly documented, and many aspects of species-specific biology remain unknown.
Ageniella coronata
Ageniella coronata is a species of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae, first described by Banks in 1919. Like other members of the genus Ageniella, it is a small parasitoid wasp that hunts spiders to provision nests for its larval offspring. The genus is known for pronounced sexual dimorphism and ant-mimicry in females. Specific biological details for A. coronata remain poorly documented compared to better-studied congeners such as A. accepta and A. conflicta.
Ageniella mintaka
Ageniella mintaka is a species of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae, first described by Brimley in 1928. It belongs to the genus Ageniella, which includes small wasps known for ant-mimicry and predation on spiders. The species is part of the 'accepta species group' within the genus. Like congeners, females are likely orange and brown with banded wings, while males differ markedly in coloration.
Ageniella reynoldsi
Ageniella reynoldsi is a species of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae, first described by Banks in 1933. Like other members of the genus Ageniella, it is a small parasitoid wasp that hunts spiders to provision nests for its larval offspring. The species is part of the 'accepta species group' within Ageniella, which includes several morphologically similar species that can be difficult to distinguish from images alone. Very few observations of this species have been recorded, with only three observations documented on iNaturalist.
Agenioideus
spider wasps
Agenioideus is a genus of spider wasps in the family Pompilidae, subfamily Pompilinae. The genus contains approximately 30 described species distributed across Europe, Asia, North America, South America, and Australia. Species are generally small, with females of A. humilis measuring 5.5–10.5 mm and males 4–9.5 mm. The genus gained notable attention when A. nigricornis was documented as the first pompilid wasp known to parasitize the highly venomous redback spider (Latrodectus hasselti) in Australia.
Agenioideus birkmanni
Agenioideus birkmanni is a spider wasp in the family Pompilidae, first described by Banks in 1910. As a member of the genus Agenioideus, it belongs to a group of small to medium-sized wasps that paralyze spiders to provision nests for their larvae. The species is part of a Nearctic genus with approximately 15 recognized species, most of which are poorly known biologically. No specific behavioral or ecological observations have been documented for this particular species.
Agenioideus humilis
Spider Wasp
Agenioideus humilis is a small spider wasp in the family Pompilidae that hunts orbweaver spiders (Araneidae) as prey for its larvae. Females paralyze spiders with their sting, then transport them to nest burrows where a single egg is laid on the immobilized host. The species ranges across most of the United States but is considered scarce throughout its distribution. It favors woodland habitats with sandy soil and has been observed nesting in both excavated burrows and pre-existing cavities such as rock crevices and building cracks.
Agonocryptus discoidaloides
Agonocryptus discoidaloides is a species of ichneumonid wasp in the subfamily Cryptinae. Originally described as a subspecies by Viereck in 1905, it was elevated to species rank (stat. nov.) by Supeleto & Aguiar in 2022. The first published images of males were published in 2022, documenting both typical morphology and morphological variation within the species. It is one of 16 Agonocryptus species for which distribution records were substantially expanded in a 2022 taxonomic revision.
Agrothereutes
Agrothereutes is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Ichneumonidae, containing over 40 described species. Members are solitary ectoparasitoids that attack concealed lepidopteran hosts, primarily targeting prepupal and pupal stages. Several species have been studied for their host relationships and reproductive biology, including A. lanceolatus and A. minousubae. The genus exhibits facultative diapause and variable voltinism, with some populations producing one or two generations annually.
Agrothereutes abbreviatus
Agrothereutes abbreviatus is a parasitic wasp in the family Ichneumonidae, characterized by sexual dimorphism in wing development. Females are brachypterous with wings reduced to the postscutellum or first abdominal tergite, while males have fully developed wings. The species is active in spring and searches for hosts on the ground and in leaf litter.
Agrothereutes abbreviatus rufopectus
Agrothereutes abbreviatus rufopectus is a subspecies of ichneumon wasp described by Cushman in 1927. The species Agrothereutes abbreviatus is a known parasitoid of spider egg sacs, including those of the orb-weaving spider Argiope aurantia. The subspecies rufopectus has been recorded from Belgium and Canada.
Agrothereutina
Agrothereutina is a subtribe of ichneumonid wasps within the subfamily Cryptinae, tribe Phygadeuontini. Members are parasitoid wasps, likely targeting concealed hosts such as pupae or larvae of other insects. The subtribe is represented by thousands of observations, indicating relatively common occurrence in suitable habitats. As with most cryptine ichneumonids, species in this subtribe are generally small to medium-sized with slender bodies and long antennae.
Agrypon
Agrypon is a genus of ichneumonid parasitoid wasps described by Arnold Förster in 1860. Species within this genus are solitary larval-pupal endoparasitoids that develop within caterpillars of various lepidopteran hosts. At least one species, A. flaveolatum, has been introduced as a biological control agent for pest management.
Agrypon flaveolatum
Agrypon flaveolatum is a parasitoid wasp in the family Ichneumonidae, first described by Gravenhorst in 1807. Native to Europe and Asia, it was introduced to eastern and western Canada in the mid-20th century as a biological control agent against the invasive winter moth (Operophtera brumata). The species has established populations in Nova Scotia and British Columbia, where it parasitizes winter moth larvae on apple and oak trees. It has been distinguished from closely related native North American species through morphological characters and morphometric analysis of antennal flagellomere annuli.
Alabagrus stigma
Alabagrus stigma is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Braconidae, first described by Brullé in 1846. As a member of the genus Alabagrus, it belongs to a group of braconid wasps known for their role as parasitoids of other insects. The species is documented in the Catalogue of Life and NCBI Taxonomy databases, with 35 observations recorded on iNaturalist. Specific ecological and biological details remain limited in available sources.
Alabagrus texanus
Alabagrus texanus is a species of braconid wasp first described by Cresson in 1872. It belongs to the family Braconidae, a large group of parasitoid wasps that play important roles in biological control. The species is known from North America, with the specific epithet 'texanus' suggesting a connection to Texas, though its precise distribution and biology remain poorly documented in available sources.
Aldrichia
Aldrichia is a genus of bee flies (Bombyliidae) endemic to North America, established by Coquillett in 1894. The genus contains two described species: A. ehrmanii (the type species) and A. auripuncta. As members of the tribe Conophorini, these flies share characteristics with other bee flies including a parasitoid or hyperparasitoid life history strategy, though specific biological details for the genus remain poorly documented.
Aldrichia auripuncta
Aldrichia auripuncta is a species of bee fly in the family Bombyliidae, first described by Painter in 1940. It is known from the northeastern United States. As a member of Bombyliidae, it likely exhibits the family-characteristic parasitoid lifestyle, though specific details for this species remain limited.
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 accohannocki
Aleiodes accohannocki is a species of braconid wasp in the subfamily Rogadinae. The species epithet honors the Accohannock people, an indigenous group from the Chesapeake Bay region. Like other members of the genus Aleiodes, it is a parasitoid wasp that develops within host caterpillars. The species was described by Shaw and colleagues as part of extensive taxonomic work on the genus Aleiodes, which has seen many new species described from the Americas in recent decades.
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 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 graphicus
Aleiodes graphicus is a parasitoid wasp species in the family Braconidae, first described by Cresson in 1872. It belongs to the genus Aleiodes, commonly known as "mummy-making wasps" for their habit of mummifying host caterpillars. The species is part of a diverse group of rogadine braconids that parasitize lepidopteran larvae. Like other Aleiodes species, it is presumed to be a koinobiont endoparasitoid, developing inside living hosts before emerging.
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 molestus
Aleiodes molestus is a species of braconid wasp first described by Cresson in 1872. Like other members of the genus Aleiodes, this species is a koinobiont endoparasitoid that develops inside caterpillar hosts. The species belongs to a diverse group of 'mummy-making' wasps that induce characteristic behavioral and physical changes in their hosts. Very few specific details about A. molestus biology have been published in readily accessible sources.
Aleiodes nolophanae
Aleiodes nolophanae is a specialist braconid parasitoid wasp described by Ashmead in 1889. It parasitizes caterpillars of the green cloverworm (Hypena scabra, Noctuidae). Research demonstrates that host plant species significantly affects parasitoid phenotype: wasps reared from hosts feeding on alfalfa exhibit larger body mass and, in some populations, greater longevity compared to those from soybean-fed hosts. This geographic variation in plant-mediated effects has implications for biological control applications.
Aleiodes pseudoterminalis
Aleiodes pseudoterminalis is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Braconidae, described by Marsh and Shaw in 2001. The species belongs to the genus Aleiodes, commonly known as mummy-making wasps due to their distinctive life history where parasitized caterpillars become desiccated and mummified. Like other members of this genus, it is presumed to be a koinobiont endoparasitoid of lepidopteran larvae, though specific host records for this species have not been documented in the available literature.
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 scrutator
Aleiodes scrutator is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Braconidae, subfamily Rogadinae. First described by Thomas Say in 1836, this species belongs to a genus known for 'mummy-making' behavior, where the wasp larva develops inside a caterpillar host and eventually kills it, leaving behind a hardened, mummified remains. Like other Aleiodes species, A. scrutator is a koinobiont endoparasitoid of lepidopteran larvae. The species has been documented in North America with a small number of iNaturalist observations, though detailed biological studies specific to this species appear limited in the available literature.
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 terminalis
Terminal Mummy Wasp
Aleiodes terminalis is a species of mummy 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 living caterpillar hosts. The species is part of a diverse radiation of Aleiodes wasps that exhibit the distinctive trait of causing host caterpillars to mummify after the wasp larva emerges. It is one of the earlier-described species in a genus that has seen extensive taxonomic revision and species discovery in recent decades.
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.
Aleochara
Aleochara is a genus of rove beetles (Staphylinidae) distinguished by its parasitoid larval life history. Adults are predatory, feeding on eggs, larvae, and puparia of scatophagous and necrophagous Diptera. Larvae are ectoparasitoids that develop inside fly puparia, killing the host. The genus contains at least 150 and possibly more than 400 species across 16 subgenera, with a worldwide distribution except Antarctica. Several species, notably Aleochara bilineata, are significant biological control agents of agricultural pest flies.
Aleochara curtula
Shortened Minute Rove Beetle
Aleochara curtula is a small rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, distributed across the Palearctic region and introduced to North America. Adults measure approximately 7 mm in length with distinctive two-toned elytra and brush-like antennae. The species exhibits complex sexual behaviors including male-male aggression, female mimicry through pheromone production, and active female mate choice. Larvae are ectoparasitoids of fly pupae, developing within carrion habitats.
Aleochara lata
Large Minute Rove Beetle
Aleochara lata is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae. It belongs to the subgenus Aleochara Gravenhorst, a group of parasitoid rove beetles. The species is native to the Palearctic region and has been introduced to North America.
Aleochara lustrica
Aleochara lustrica is a rove beetle (Staphylinidae) with a dual life history: adults are predatory on fly larvae, while larvae are ectoparasitoids of cyclorrhaphan fly pupae. The species has been documented across the Americas from Canada to southern Brazil, with recent records extending its known range. It has confirmed associations with sarcophagid flies under laboratory conditions and plays a role in regulating populations of necrophagous Diptera of medical, veterinary, and forensic importance.
Aleochara sulcicollis
A rove beetle species in the family Staphylinidae with a documented parasitoid life history involving kelp flies. Larvae develop as parasitoids of intertidal kelp flies, specifically Fucellia rufitibia, with adults likely active in coastal habitats where macroalgae and host flies occur. The species has been recorded across a broad geographic range spanning North, Central, and South America.
Aleochara taeniata
Aleochara taeniata is a rove beetle (Staphylinidae) in the subfamily Aleocharinae. It has been documented as a parasite of the house fly, Musca domestica, with larvae developing within fly puparia. The species occurs across a broad geographic range in the Americas, from the southwestern United States through Central America and into South America, with records from the Caribbean as well.
Alexeter
Alexeter is a genus of ichneumonid wasps in the subfamily Ctenopelmatinae, tribe Mesoleiini. First described by Förster in 1869, the genus has a primarily Holarctic distribution with highest diversity in temperate regions, though species also occur in mountainous areas of the Oriental and Neotropical regions. Species are koinobiont endoparasitoids of sawfly larvae (Tenthredinoidea).
Aliolus
Aliolus is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Braconidae, established by Thomas Say in 1836. These wasps are members of the diverse braconid lineage, which contains thousands of species primarily known for their role as parasitoids of other insects. The genus has been subject to taxonomic revision, with some sources treating it as a subgenus of Eubazus. Available occurrence records are sparse, with limited observational data documented.