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For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
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Photo#105080
Small Wasp? - Gastrancistrus - female

Small Wasp? - Gastrancistrus - Female
Chanhassen, Carver County, Minnesota, USA
April 22, 2007
Size: 2.3mm
I rescued this little creature from the water and photographed it as it dried its wings while perched on my finger. I need an ID please.

Moved
Genus confirmed by Dr. Steve Heydon.

Moved from Pteromalids.

Moved
My torymid contact believes this to be a pteromalid, suggesting that it may be the genus Gastrancistrus.

Moved from Torymidae.

Moved
Moved from Chalcid Wasps.

Torymidae…
Fortunately there are other features that help to distinguish these two groups. One is very swollen hind coxae which can be seen here. The elongate metallic green/bronze body, extruded ovipositor (length can very), long antennae, swollen hind femurs, and well-formed parapsidal sutures also indicate a female torymid wasp. Nice photo David.

See reference here.

 
Torymidae
Thank you for the nice explanation.

A female Chalcid Wasp (Chalcidoidea)
Unfortenately, telling apart Pteromalidae and Torymidae is difficult, since neither relative size of hind coxa vs middle coxa, nor forewing venation are visible.

 
Chalcid
Thanks. She flew before I could get more pictures.