Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Subfamily Aphelopinae

Aphelopus varicornis - female Crovettia theliae - female Crovettia theliae - female wasp - Aphelopus varicornis wasp - Aphelopus varicornis Tiny white faced Wasp. - Aphelopus varicornis Aphelopinae wasp - Aphelopus varicornis
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
No Taxon (Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps)
Superfamily Chrysidoidea (Cuckoo Wasps & allies)
Family Dryinidae (Pincer Wasps)
Subfamily Aphelopinae
Explanation of Names
Aphelopinae R. Perkins 1912
Numbers
2 genera total, with 6 spp. in our area and 55 spp. total(1)(2)
Size
1‒3 mm(3)
Identification
wing similar to Megaspilidae but differs in having two parallel veins enclosing a long narrow cell along costal margin (a single vein in Megaspilidae)
Range
Cosmopolitan
Food
Larvae of Aphelopus species parasitize leafhoppers (Cicadellidae) in subfamily Typhlocybinae. Larvae of Crovettia parasitize treehoppers (Membracidae)(3)
Life Cycle
Larvae are koinobiont parasitoids. Unlike other dryinids, Crovettia remains endoparasitic throughout all larval stages.(3)
Works Cited
1.Hymenoptera of the world: an identification guide to families
Goulet H., Huber J., eds. 1993. Agriculture Canada Publication 1894/E. 668 pp.
2.Dicky Sick Ki Yu (1997-2015) Home of Ichneumonoidea (Taxapad)
3.The Hymenoptera of Costa Rica
Paul E. Hanson and Ian D. Gauld, editors. 1995. Oxford University Press.