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Mummy Wasp

Aleiodes sp.

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33.135, -117.034

Field Notes

Description:

Small, red wasp with gorgeous silver-blue eyes. "Attack and kill various species of leaf-feeding caterpillars. The host caterpillar is mummified -- a unique method of parasitism, because the caterpillar cadaver remains intact and identifiable as the Aleiodes larva feeds and eventually pupates inside the caterpillar leaving the host mummy intact after the adult wasp emerges"

Habitat:

Porch light in the backyard. "Worldwide, with the greatest species diversity in northern Europe, Asia, and North America"

Species ID Suggestions

braconid wasp

Aleiodes sp. (A. burrus?)

Reference Link
stho002
1

Comments (2)
CindyBinghamKeiser
Thank you for the ID suggestions, bayucca and stho002! BugGuide agrees with Braconid and Aleiodes looks good to me. Crazy Genus with its mummification of caterpillars!
bayucca
Ichneumonid Wasp?? http://bugguide.net/node/view/743130/bgimage

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Southern California Wildlife
Mission
Hymenoptera of the world -- bees, ants and all their friends
Mission
Wondrous Wasps of Southern California
Mission
National Geographic's Great Nature Project
Mission
The Bug Chicks Sofa Safari

Tags

Photographed
PublishedMarch 9, 2014

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