Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » "Parasitica" - Parasitoid Wasps » Chalcidoid Wasps (Chalcidoidea) » Chalcidid Wasps (Chalcididae) » Brachymeriinae » Brachymeria

Genus Brachymeria

Small winged, black bug with large thighs - Brachymeria

Chalcid maybe Brachymeria podagrica? - Brachymeria podagrica

Chalcidid Wasp in Tent - Brachymeria tegularis

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)

No Taxon ("Parasitica" - Parasitoid Wasps)

Superfamily Chalcidoidea (Chalcidoid Wasps)

Family Chalcididae (Chalcidid Wasps)

Subfamily Brachymeriinae

Genus Brachymeria

Explanation of Names

Brachymeria Westwood 1829

Numbers

26 spp. in our area listed by Nearctica(1), 29 spp. listed by UCD*; >300 spp. worldwide(2)

*Of these 2 listings: 19 spp. are included in both, 7 spp. are only in Nearctica, and 10 spp. are only in UCD.

Identification

Two examples of distinguishing characters include a relatively flat frons (not rounded anteriorly) and antennae insertion at or dorsal to the ventral margin of the compound eyes.(3)

Remarks

This genus includes the most abundant and widely distributed chalcidid wasps; most species in our area are parasitoids of Lepidoptera.(3) Brachymeria have been used for biocontrol as natural enemies of agricultural pests.

Works Cited

1.	Nomina Insecta Nearctica Poole, Robert W. Nearctica.com, Inc.

2.	Universal Chalcidoidea Database

3.	A revision of the genus Brachymeria (Westwood) in America north of Mexico (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) B. D. Burks. 1960. Transactions of the American Entomological Society, 86(3): 225-273.

Contributed by tom murray on 19 November, 2005 - 11:19am
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, v belov, PaleoJon, bdagley
Last updated 18 October, 2022 - 9:41pm

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