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#814173
Caterpillar with eggs - Euplectrus

Caterpillar with eggs - Euplectrus
Kokomo, Howard County, Indiana, USA
July 26, 2013
I found this caterpillar with a cluster of eggs on it's back. I'm assuming it's some kind of parasite? Can anyone tell me what kind of insect the eggs might be from? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
Thanks a million, Ross!
We recently had a week of very hot, dry weather, followed by a good soaking rain, followed by a single day of emergence of thousands and thousands of Euplectrus adults. I had never seen the adults before, and didn't know what they were, but now I know who's riding this caterpillar, and why my monarch and black swallowtail caterpillars didn't survive. Thank you for your id!

Euplectrus…
These are actually the active larvae of a chalcid wasp in this genus.

See reference here.

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