Tiny Wasp - Trichacis - BugGuide.Net

very probably Trichacis -- O.A. Popovici det.

… v belov, 8 January, 2010 - 11:45am

Despite the vestigial medial cell...

nevertheless, the overall habitus of this insect fits very well indeed with a Platygasteridae, better than with any other hymenopteran family, Proctotrupidae included. These latters have a different, typical venation with a dark diamond-shaped marginal cell which is lacking here.
The possibility that a minority of Platygasterids do own such a small "fork" at the apex of the subcosta - which many of them actually have - cannot be excluded, although I admit I don't (or at least didn't) know any example of this. But once again, I see no other conceivable possibility but Platygasteridae.

… Richard Vernier, 5 November, 2005 - 5:27am

Right!

Hello Richard,
You are probably right. In most of the Platygastridae I see they also have their head bent downwards a little, giving them a more or less 'humpbacked' appearance. That is a bit visible here as well I think. In Europe there are indeed very small Proctotrupids that look a lot like Platygastrids, and even with specimens available it is sometimes difficult. But after reconsideration I tend to agree with you, so Platygastridae it is! :-))
Greetings,
Gerard Pennards

… Gerard Pennards, 5 November, 2005 - 5:38am

I don't think so..

Because you can still see some wing venation in the upper wing, near to it's base. This seems more like a proctotrupid to me, so a member of the family Proctotrupidae!
Greetings,
Gerard Pennards

… Gerard Pennards, 4 November, 2005 - 3:45pm

Thanks Gerard

This wasp is so small, that the fibers in the paper plate stand right out, when I enlarged the picture.

… tom murray, 4 November, 2005 - 6:29pm

and what about

your

… john and jane balaban, 4 November, 2005 - 5:12pm

Pteromalid or Eurytomidae

So it is a small parasitic wasp allright, in the superfamily Chalcidoidea, but I cannot exactly determine the family. It is a Pteromalidae, or Eurytomidae, the last one being much rarer.
Greetings,
Gerard Pennards

… Gerard Pennards, 5 November, 2005 - 4:37am

Chalcidoidea

Thanks Gerard, I moved it to the Chalcidoidea guide page.

… tom murray, 5 November, 2005 - 7:43am