Pimplinae
Guides
Acrotaphus
Acrotaphus is a genus of spider-attacking parasitoid wasps in the family Ichneumonidae, subfamily Pimplinae, tribe Ephialtini. The genus contains 27 described species distributed across the New World, with particularly high diversity in the Neotropics including the Brazilian Amazon. These wasps are ectoparasitoids of orb-weaver spiders in the families Araneidae and Tetragnathidae. A defining characteristic of the genus is the ability to induce behavioral modification in host spiders, causing them to construct specialized "cocoon webs" that support and protect the wasp pupae.
Clistopyga
Clistopyga is a genus of ichneumonid wasps in the subfamily Pimplinae, first described by Gravenhorst in 1829. The genus contains approximately 50 described species, with the majority distributed in the Neotropical region. Species are characterized by specialized adaptations for parasitizing spiders, including modified ovipositors used for clinging to hosts and felting spider silk to seal nest openings. Several species groups have been established within the genus based on morphological and distributional patterns.
Delomeristini
Delomeristini is a tribe of ichneumonid wasps within the subfamily Pimplinae. The tribe comprises approximately ten species in Europe, including genera such as Atractogaster, Delomerista, and Perithous. These wasps are parasitoids, with females using their elongated ovipositors to access hosts concealed in wood or other substrates.
Itoplectis viduata
Itoplectis viduata is a parasitoid wasp in the family Ichneumonidae, subfamily Pimplinae. The species has been documented as a pseudohyperparasitoid, utilizing cocoons of the spider wasp Homonotus sanguinolentus (Pompilidae) as hosts. Rearing records from the National Museums of Scotland indicate a broader host range beyond this single association. The species occurs across parts of Europe and has been recorded in western Canada.
Megaplectes
Megaplectes is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Ichneumonidae, first described by Förster in 1869. The genus is represented by at least one described species, Megaplectes monticola, and is known from Europe and North America. Members of this genus are parasitoids, though specific host associations remain poorly documented. The genus is relatively obscure with limited published biological information.
Megarhyssa atrata
Black Giant Ichneumonid Wasp
Megarhyssa atrata is the largest known hymenopteran parasitoid, with females possessing an ovipositor that can exceed 130 mm—longer than any other arthropod genital apparatus. The species is primarily black with a yellow head and legs, and lacks the reddish-orange markings found in congeners. It parasitizes the larvae of the pigeon horntail (Tremex columba) deep within decaying hardwood, using remarkable wood-penetrating adaptations. Males aggregate at emergence sites and exhibit distinctive "tergal stroking" behavior, rubbing their abdomen tips against bark.
Perithous septemcinctorius
Perithous septemcinctorius is a parasitoid wasp in the family Ichneumonidae, subfamily Pimplinae. The species is known from detailed morphological descriptions of its final instar larva, which exhibits distinctive features including maxillary and labial palpi with more than two sensilla. It is recorded from Belgium and Norway. As a member of the genus Perithous, it is presumed to be a parasitoid, though specific host associations for this species remain poorly documented.
Pimpla
black slip wasps
Pimpla is a large, cosmopolitan genus of ichneumonid wasps comprising approximately 200 species. Members are idiobiont endoparasitoids that develop within the pupae or prepupae of holometabolous insects, primarily Lepidoptera. The genus is characterized by sturdy black bodies with orange or reddish markings, and females possess a short, stout ovipositor used to deposit eggs into host pupae. Several species have documented importance in biological control and biomedical research.
Schizopyga
Schizopyga is a genus of pimpline ichneumonid wasps in the Polysphincta genus-group, comprising approximately 12 described species worldwide. These wasps are specialized parasitoids of spiders that construct non-aerial webs, particularly members of the families Clubionidae, Gnaphosidae, and Agelenidae. The genus was established by Gravenhorst in 1829 and has a cosmopolitan distribution with records from multiple biogeographic regions including the Afrotropical region.
Trichomma maceratum
Trichomma maceratum is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Ichneumonidae, first described by Cresson in 1879. The genus Trichomma belongs to the ichneumonid subfamily Pimplinae, a group characterized by ectoparasitic larvae that develop on hosts concealed in plant material or soil. This species has been recorded in western and central Canada, with observations spanning prairie and agricultural habitats. Very little is known about its biology, host associations, or ecological role.