Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Photo#335424
Double Jeopardy

Double Jeopardy
Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky, USA
September 13, 2009
This possible citrus planthopper (Metcalfa pruinosa) with apparent karma issues (it seems to already be the host for a dryinid larva) has flown into the web of a locally common house spider and is being taken upstairs to the dining area. A few hours later a well wrapped dry husk was found below.
I would be happy to get an ID of the spider (and even the hopper - I have used other photos for the tentative ID) but am most interested in the wasp larva. Most BG dryinid larval examples are black or at least dark whereas those noticed locally have always been white. Is this a species or developmental phase difference? This wikipedia reference suggests that what is here visible of the wasp is not the larva itself but a characteristic sack called a thylacium (a word that Google has yet to find).

I think I have asked before - what should be done with multi-species interactions? So far photo's often seem to have been sent to the first species identified - not necessarily the most interesting.

(edit) It appears the the ectoparasite above is a larva of a moth (Fulgoraecia exigua) rather than a wasp (dryinid). Viewing our examples of each, I can speculate that if its on a planthopper and is white and not-smooth its a moth but if its grey or black and appears smooth its likely a wasp.

Moved
Moved from Spiders.

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

interesting
I enjoy these posts with a story behind them. Thanks for posting it.
Cool pic too.

Spider
could definitely be Common House Spider - Parasteatoda tepidariorum.

If an image has two species that we wan't to have in the guide, you can always post two images, one labeled spider the other labeled hopper.