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Photo#536610
Wasp being devoured by a robber fly - Belyta

Wasp being devoured by a robber fly - Belyta
Winooski Gorge Natural Area, South Burlington, Chittenden County, Vermont, USA
June 28, 2011
Size: ~2 mm

Images of this individual: tag all
Wasp being devoured by a robber fly - Belyta Wasp being devoured by a robber fly - Belyta Wasp being devoured by a robber fly - Belyta Wasp being devoured by a robber fly - Belyta

Moved
Moved from Braconid Wasps.

Belyta sp. male, (Belytinae,
Belyta sp. male, (Belytinae, Diapriidae)

Not braconid...
Charley, there are not enough antennal segments to support a braconid. This is a wasp, but I haven't been able to determine the type from this image alone. Suggest frassing unless you have other views.

 
???
How in the heck can you come to that conclusion? The right flagellum looks like it is broken off, and the apex of the left one is not fully visible.

 
Easy...
You can't assume that a portion of the right antennae is missing and that there are other missing segments on the left antennae that can't be seen (many more in this case to support a braconid). I think that's a stretch, especially since other supporting features like wing venation cannot be seen clearly.

 
...
I think you are talking through your hat. What can be seen of the nature of the wing suggests Braconidae, and so does the shape of the head.

 
Images added...
Sorry I don't have any higher-resolution shots, but a robber fly will only let you get so close. To me it appears that both antennae are the same length (at least in the last two images, which were taken before the first two), and that there are more than 16 antennomeres on each.

 
537214
From image 537214, it does appear that neither of the antennae are broken, but it also appears to me that those images have the requisite of 16 or more antennomeres.

 
Agreed...
See, that wasn't so bad now was it. All we needed was another image to confirm - no need for all this ill tempered exchange.

 
Sorry
You were on the right track, and I was the one talking through my hat, and if I had looked at the metasoma in the additional photos, I would have known it.

Moved
Moved from "Parasitica" (parasitic Apocrita).
I'll add a link to the whole robber fly once I've posted it.

No Consequence
Just one less braconid, apparently. :)

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