Gastrupid wasp? - Gasteruption

Kim, there has never been a question about the ID

of this wasp. We were simply wrong in our suggestion and we were corrected within hours by Ron and Martin. This is Gasteruption.

… john and jane balaban, 2 August, 2010 - 9:48am

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… Martin Hauser, 2 October, 2009 - 1:11am

Stephaniidae have a "crown" o

Stephaniidae have a "crown" on the head and spines on the hind legs. And they are much rarer than Gasteruptionidae and they are more black and never have the more bright red on the abdomen and legs... So I vote Gasteruptionidae

… Martin Hauser, 2 October, 2009 - 1:10am

Red on the legs--never on Stephanidae?

I'm not sure about Stephanidae always lacking red on the legs. This photo (albeit of a species that appears to occur in South America), from Ohio State University's Stephanidae website, shows one with red legs.

I ask mainly because I've collected two specimens of similar such wasps and I want to get an idea of whether they're Stephanids, Gasteruptiids or one of each. One has some orange-red metasomatic segments and legs; whereas the other lacks red coloring entirely.

… Peter Edelman, 1 August, 2010 - 8:48pm

Well, I was talking mainly ab

Well, I was talking mainly about the Holarctic species. Gasteruptionidae are easy to ID because they never have these spines on the hind legs (as in the Ohio state pic), and the head is smooth (it has a small crown on the Ohio pic) and they are usually (not always) smaller than Stephanids... If you post a pic from the side of the body, I am sure I could tell you what it is...

… Martin Hauser, 1 August, 2010 - 9:57pm

Added a side view

I added a side vew. Let me know if this helps or further image is needed. I also shot a male about 1 year later almost to the day in the same location. Likely the same species. Let me know if you that would help.

… Kim Moore, 2 August, 2010 - 12:40am

Gasteruptid looks good to me

Looks like those I've shot in OC. (Note: I'm not an expert.)
http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/hymenopt/Gasteruption.htm

Some are so thin that they look like a thread hanging in the air.

… Ron Hemberger, 1 October, 2009 - 10:20pm

We were thinking possibly Stephanidae

in the guide here. But the wasp experts can tell you more.

… john and jane balaban, 1 October, 2009 - 8:54pm