Species Evania appendigaster - Blue-eyed Ensign Wasp

Common Cockroach Egg Parasitoid Wasp

* Note: it is not appropriate to call this "the" cockroach egg parasitoid wasp as that applies to the entire family.

Most readily identified by its brilliant blue eyes. The only species in our area with all of the coxae evenly spaced. It is one of two large species, the other being the often brown-marked Prosevania fuscipes.

Note: additional (rare) blue or green-eyed Evania and Evaniella species occur outside of our covered area, such as Evania albofasciatus of Central America (holotype specimen in BMNH)

Cosmopolitan. Introduced, probably of oriental origin.

Sometimes found in houses.

A solitary endoparasitoid of oothecae of several introduced cockroach species, of which it has a biological control potential: "American" cockroach (really from Africa and the Middle East) - Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus, 1758); Oriental cockroach - Blatta orientalis Linnaeus, 1758; and Australian cockroach - Periplaneta australasiae (Fabricius, 1775).

U. Florida. A Cockroach Egg Parasitoid, Evania appendigaster (Linnaeus) (Hymenoptera: Evaniidae)

Biological Control. Biological characteristics of Evania appendigaster (L.) (Hymenoptera: Evaniidae) in different densities of Periplaneta americana (L.) oothecae (Blattodea: Blattidae)