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Ichneumon wasp

Family: Ichneumonidae

Photo by Mark Ridgway
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

This small wasp was about 6mm long and very busily running around under strong night lights which were attracting other arthropods. Fast and cute.

Habitat:

At night at the local school under mercury vapour security lights.

Notes:

Still to find species... Was it looking for food or a victim to parasitize or both ?? Checking subfamily Cryptinae...

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (7)
Tiz
Ha! True that!
Mark Ridgway
Might have to open your electron microscope too :-)
Tiz
It is about time I open my eyes a bit I think! Thanks for the info Mark and John :)
Mark Ridgway
Wow!! Fantastic information John. Thanks for that. A good read coming up.
John La Salle
Ichneumonidae http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichneumonidae And there are many many wasps that are even smaller than this. The smallest of all insects are wasps, which are parasitoids within the eggs of thrips (and less than 0.15 mm loong).
Mark Ridgway
Thanks Tiz. I haven't checked but I suspect most wasps are small and it's just that humans typically notice the big ones... it's a theory anyway... possibly the same with moths and fungi.
Tiz
I had no idea up to a few days ago that wasps could be so small... It looks like yours have a pair of fashionable goggles on :) Pretty little one!

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Hymenoptera of the world -- bees, ants and all their friends
Mission
Dandenong Ranges - fauna & flora
Mission
Global Schoolyard Bioblitz!
Mission
Upper Ferntree Gully Primary School
Photographed
PublishedOctober 5, 2013

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