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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » "Parasitica" - Parasitoid Wasps » Braconid and Ichneumonid Wasps (Ichneumonoidea) » Braconid Wasps (Braconidae) » Caterpillar Mummy Wasps (Rogadinae) » Common Mummy Wasps (Aleiodes)

Genus Aleiodes - Common Mummy Wasps

Classification · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Internet References · Works Cited
Mummy-wasp - Aleiodes Hickory Flat wasp at lights - Aleiodes Parasitized pupa 1 - Aleiodes Mummy-wasp - Aleiodes ichneumon wasp with red and black abdomen - Aleiodes Aleiodes politiceps - male Orange braconid? - Aleiodes Orange urban braconid - Aleiodes
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 Ichneumonoidea (Braconid and Ichneumonid Wasps)
Family Braconidae (Braconid Wasps)
Subfamily Rogadinae (Caterpillar Mummy Wasps)
Genus Aleiodes (Common Mummy Wasps)
Numbers
at least 90 spp. in North America including Mexico; ~ 225 spp. worldwide.(1)(2)

Nearctic species are divided into 15 species-groups:
1. albitibia-group
2. circumstriptus/gastritor-group (11 spp.)
3. compressor-group
4. dispar-group
5. ductor-group
6. gasterator-group
7. gressitti-group
8. melanopterus-group
9. pallidator-group
10. praetor-group
11. pulchripes-group (8 spp.)
12. rugulosus-group
13. seriatus-group
14. ufei-group
15. unipunctator-group
Size
4.0-8.0 mm
Identification
Can be determined by
See general Braconidae identification
cyclostome "mouth." Also see this image.. As can be seen from these 2 images, the cyclostome mouth is defined by the dorso-ventrally short clypeus and the concave labrum, bordered ventrally by the mandibles.
Mummification of host remains. Here and here are examples of rogadine mummies.
Occipital carina present. (See p. 99 in Fortier 2009 (PDF)(2) for image of occipital carina.
Koinobiont endoparasitoid life cycle (See parasitoid life cycles).
first three metasomal ("abdominal") segments sculptured, at least the first segment with a longitudinal median carina,
females with short ovipositors.
Range
Worldwide, with the greatest species diversity in northern Europe, Asia, and North America(1)
Food
Attack and kill various species of leaf-feeding caterpillars; hosts include many important forest pests, such as the gypsy moth, eastern tent caterpillar, forest tent caterpillar, fall webworm, tussock moths, dagger moths, prominents, cutworms, and loopers(1)
Life Cycle
larval koinobiont endoparasitoids. As with other rogadines, Aleiodes larvae mummify the host when they finish feeding on it and kill it, and pupate inside the mummy.
Remarks
A significant number of species have been described by Dr. Scott R. Shaw and Dr. Paul M. Marsh, both of whom generously help BugGuide with braconid wasp identification, and also by Dr. Joe Fortier, who described 71 new species in a new subfamily (2).
Internet References
A Revision of the Tetrasphaeropyx Ashmead Lineage of the Genus Aleiodes Wesmael (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Rogadinae) (Zootaxa PDF)
          *** Wing vein morphology and general morphology of Aleiodes are found on pp. 98-99. ***
Works Cited
1.Aleiodes wasps of eastern forests: A guide to parasitoids and associated mummified caterpillars
Shaw, Scott R. 2006. Morgantown: Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team.
2.A Revision of the Tetrasphaeropyx Ashm. Lineage of the Genus Aleiodes Wesmael (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Rogadinae)
Fortier, Joseph C. 2009. Magnolia Press.
Contributed by Charley Eiseman on 11 November, 2008 - 12:31pm
Additional contributions by Troy Bartlett, josephfortier, Vox Sciurorum, v belov, PaleoJon
Last updated 14 August, 2023 - 7:07pm

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