Species Cryptus albitarsis

Cryptus albitarsis (Cresson, 1864)

Males are most readily diagnosed and are noted for their prominent white hind tarsi and red abdomens. Females have entirely black bodies and legs apart from a red abdomen and typically with wings subhyaline to weakly infuscate. Though there are several species with similarly colored females, this is the most prevalent across its range.

Hosts include Helicoverpa zea, Grapholita molesta, and some other common agricultural pests.

Images of some other species of Cryptus would be difficult to distinguish from albitaris, but C. albitarsis is very common and the probability is high that all or most of the images that have been moved to this BG taxon are C. albitarsis.