Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar

TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Photo#121069
Wasp - Megastigmus - female

Wasp - Megastigmus - Female
Riverside Park, New York City, New York, USA
June 23, 2007
Size: 3.8 mm.

Images of this individual: tag all
Wasp - Megastigmus - female Wasp - Megastigmus - female Wasp - Megastigmus - female

Moved
Moved from Torymidae.

Megastigmus…
Can be safely moved to the genus level for now.

See reference here.

So tiny
This is certainly an ichneumon wasp family ichneumonidae. They lay eggs inside other insects often times. Great shot of such a small wasp.

 
Wasp ID
Thanks for your comment, Scott. I thought at first that this was an Ichneumon or Braconid but in Borror, De Long and Triplehorn on p.663 it states that the entire Ichneumonoidea (except one small, rare family) is characterized by the absense of a costal cell, among other things. This specimen does have a costal cell. On p.667 they say that chalcids can be recognized by the characteristic wing venation shown in their fig. 571 B, on p.645. This specimen does conform to that but with a greatly enlarged stigma. It was this stigma which I had hoped would enable someone to determine family. I added a photo which may show the costal cell more clearly.This tiny wasp is actually bigger than the majority of chalcids. (p.666)

 
Torymidae
This is a Torymidae. The stigma is sort-of diagnostic for this family of Chalicidoids. They also often have long, exposed ovipositors.

 
Stigma
Thanks for the family, Andy. I looked on the Torymidae page and where the wing is clearly shown the enlarged stigma is visible and often can be seen even when the wings are folded. Sometimes not, but it may well be there.

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.