Subfamily Ichneumoninae

Heresiarchini, Ichneumonini, Protichneumonini

Second largest ichneumonid subfamily, with ~700 spp. in 90 genera of 8 tribes in our area and ~400 genera in 16 tribes worldwide.(1)(2) Tribes revised by Santos et al. (2021).(3)

2.2 - 21.0 mm(4)

Colorful appearance, dorsoventrally depressed abdomen (flattened from top to bottom, wider than high), long propodeum, pentagonal areolet (small cell in the centre of the fore wing; second submarginal cell), short ovipositor, and large body size. Truncate clypeus exposing the labium. The sexes of the same species are frequently quite different.

Keys to tribes following the Santos et al. (2021) revision provided by Claridge.(5)

worldwide(1)

Adults feed on honey dew of aphids and on certain plant foliage.

All individuals of this subfamily are internal parasites of the order Lepidoptera. Although females lay one egg into either larvae or pupae, the offspring always emerge from the pupa. Ichneumoninae are endoparasitic idiobionts. An idiobiont has a wide range of hosts and it eats, kills, or paralyzes the host immediately after oviposition therefore resulting in no continuation of development. An endoparasite feeds internally on its host whereas an ectoparasite feeds externally. Female Ichneumoninae look for hosts on the ground and have short ovipositors, possibly as a result of their host usually being a naked larvae. Typically, adult females hibernate and search for hosts in the spring.(7)

Adults dislike intense heat and sunlight and not usually found during the middle of the day.

Heinrich, G.H. 1977. Ichneumoninae of Florida and neighboring states. Arthropods of Florida and Neighboring Areas. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Contribution 400, 19: 1–350.(8)

Brandon Claridge's Ichneumonids of North America - keys to tribes and genera with specimen galleries(5)