Stinkbug egg parasitoids. Wasp 2. 9/1/12 - Trissolcus edessae

Trissolcus edessae --det. R.M. Evans

his comment: "The images [...] from the Churchville Nature Center (9/1/12) are of Trissolcus edessae (orange legs and scapes) and T. euschisti (dark legs and scapes). The hyperoccipital carina and notauli are clearly visible in both images. The antenna in the Tr. edessae image clearly shows the flagellum abruptly bicolored, A1-A6 yellow. I have also verified that Tr. edessae has been collected at a location 65 miles from the nature center in the same year and another specialist, with years of experience in egg parasitoids, agrees it is Tr. edessae. Separating Tr. euschisti and Tr. brochymenae is more difficult and requires magnification of the mesepisternum (smooth in Tr. euschisti and rugulose in Tr. brochymenae)."

Moved from flavipes species group.

… v belov, 18 January, 2013 - 9:14am

Moved

Moved from Magnolia Serpentine Leafminer Moth.

… Charley Eiseman, 26 December, 2012 - 11:03pm

Moved

Moved from flavipes species group.

… Beatriz Moisset, 26 December, 2012 - 10:50pm

Moved

Moved from Trissolcus.

… v belov, 14 December, 2012 - 4:14pm

opinion of Norman F. Johnson:

"I've never heard of T. edessae as far north as Pennsylvania, but with global warming.... My guess is that it's more likely to be T. euschisti. Perhaps a particularly lightly/brightly colored one though."

… v belov, 14 December, 2012 - 12:01pm

opinion

I certainly respect Dr. Johnson's opinion, in fact it is his key I use when identifying Trissolcus species. The other clue is the egg mass being Chinavia hilaris the primary host of Trissolcus edessae. Although both Tr. euschisti and Tr. brochymenae can also parasitize C. hilaris I would say this is an increase of geographic range. Did Dr. Johnson view the image?

… RMEvans, 22 December, 2012 - 8:00am

Thanks

The one that was visiting the eggs before they eclosed on 8/25, had dark legs and antennae. The freshly emerged ones, on 9/1, had bright, light antennae and legs. Could it be that they darken later on?
I could post a few more pictures, although they are not much better.

… Beatriz Moisset, 14 December, 2012 - 2:36pm

New record?

If you still have the Tr. edessae specimen you might want to send it to Dr. Johnson for verification since this is likely a new state record as well.

… RMEvans, 26 December, 2012 - 1:07pm

...

No, I don't have them any more. I think that I will start saving these little ones in a regular basis. Sometimes I regret not keeping them.

… Beatriz Moisset, 27 December, 2012 - 10:59am

It is not uncommon to have tw

It is not uncommon to have two species of parasitoids at one egg mass. I have even collected females on egg masses only to have a different species emerge. In rearing parasitoids I have never seen light antenna darken later.

… RMEvans, 22 December, 2012 - 7:53am

Trissolcus edessae

From Johnson, "female antennal flagellum abruptly bicolored: A1-A6 yellow" flavipes group, Trissolcus edessae.

… RMEvans, 5 October, 2012 - 6:58am

Moved

Moved from "Parasitica" (parasitic Apocrita).

… Beatriz Moisset, 1 September, 2012 - 3:30pm