Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Photo#421726
Parasitic wasp 7/3/10 9PM - Hercus fontinalis

Parasitic wasp 7/3/10 9PM - Hercus fontinalis
Pennypack Restoration Trust, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA
July 3, 2010
Size: ~ 1mm
A caterpillar (~14 mm) was hanging from a tree; I took it home. A few hours later it had built a loose cocoon and looked very active. However it was infested by 8 or so parasitoids. Two days later it started turning yellowish and wrinkly and becoming less active. The parasitoids have grown and molted. Some fell off and one managed to get back; like a suckling piglet it wriggled and squirmed until it found its food source and could cling to it if you pardon the comparison.
You can see the parasitoid finding the caterpillar in the video. You can also catch a glimpse of one (the one farther left) slowly shedding its old skin. Later on four larvae make cocoons, develop into pupae and finally emerge.
Dorsal view.
More on the caterpillar

Images of this individual: tag all
Parasitic wasp 7/3/10 9PM - Hercus fontinalis Parasitic wasp 7/3/10 9PM - Hercus fontinalis Parasitic wasp and caterpillar 7/3/10 9PM - Hercus fontinalis Parasitic wasp 7/4/10  - Hercus fontinalis Parasitic wasp 7/5/10 8:20AM - Hercus fontinalis Parasitic wasp 7/5/10 8:20AM - Hercus fontinalis Parasitic wasp Ecdysis. 7/5/10 8:20AM - Hercus fontinalis Parasitic wasp 7/5/10 8:20AM - Hercus fontinalis Parasitic wasp 7/5/10 5PM - Hercus fontinalis Parasitic wasp Cocoons. 7/6/10 - Hercus fontinalis Parasitic wasp Cocoons. 7/6/10 - Hercus fontinalis Parasitic wasp Cocoons. 7/6/10 - Hercus fontinalis Parasitic wasp. Pupa. 7/10/10 - Hercus fontinalis Parasitic wasp. Pupae. 7/11/10 - Hercus fontinalis Parasitic wasp 7/14/10  - Hercus fontinalis Parasitic wasp. Emerging adult 7/15/10  - Hercus fontinalis Parasitic wasp 7/15/10  - Hercus fontinalis - female Parasitic wasp 7/15/10  - Hercus fontinalis - female Parasitic wasp 7/15/10  - Hercus fontinalis - female

Moved
Moved from Oedemopsini.

Moved
Moved from parasitic Apocrita.