Other Common Names
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.
Identification
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 south of our area, such as
Evania albofasciatus in Central America [
holotype specimen (BMNH)]
Range
Cosmopolitan. Introduced, probably of oriental origin.
Habitat
Sometimes found in houses.
Remarks
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).
Internet References
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)
