Family Orussidae - Parasitic Wood Wasps

Classification · Numbers · Size · Identification · Food · Remarks · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Parasitic Wood Wasp - Orussus terminalis

Orussus occidentalis female - Orussus occidentalis - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)

No Taxon (Sawflies, Horntails, and Wood Wasps)

Family Orussidae (Parasitic Wood Wasps)

Numbers

Nomina Insecta Neartica lists 4 North American genera totaling 9 species.

Size

8-14 mm

Identification

Frontwing with only 1 submarginal cell. Antennae rise below the eyes, just above the mouth. (1)

"You can tell the family by the low attachment of the antennae and the spikes/nodules on the frons." (comment by Matt Bertone)

Food

Larvae are parasites of Metallic Wood-boring beetles (Family Buprestidae).

Remarks

This is a small and relatively rare group.

See Also

Adults resemble Horntail wasps, but are much smaller.

Print References

"Peterson's Field Guide to Insects" p. 316 (1)

Internet References

The University of Wisconsin has several species listed in their collection.

And, though it is out of our country, the Zoological Museum at the University of Copenhagen has some information.

Works Cited

1.	A Field Guide to Insects By Richard E. White, Donald J. Borror, Roger Tory Peterson

Contributed by Tony DiTerlizzi on 25 March, 2005 - 6:25pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Harsi S. Parker
Last updated 20 November, 2009 - 4:05pm

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