Family Gasteruptiidae - Carrot Wasps

Classification · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Food · Life Cycle · Internet References · Works Cited

Gasteruption, male??? - Gasteruption - male

Tiny Gasteruption - Gasteruption - female

Braconid or Ichneumon ? - Gasteruption - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)

No Taxon ("Parasitica" - Parasitoid Wasps)

Superfamily Evanioidea (Aulacid, Ensign, and Gasteruptiid Wasps)

Family Gasteruptiidae (Carrot Wasps)

Numbers

15 spp. in a single genus in our area,(1)(2)(3) 1500-2000 spp. worldwide (Jennings & Austin 2002), of which ~500 are described (Jennings & Deans, 2004)

Size

13-40 mm

Identification

Abdomen slender, very long, and attached to thorax on upper (dorsal) side. Hind tibia expanded. Ovipositor very long in 12 spp. but short in 3 spp. The head is set on a "neck", differentiating them from other large parasitoids wasps, like the ichneumonids.(4)(2)(3)

Keys by Townes (1950) for all 15 species (treated under Gasteruption and Rhydinofoenus)(2) and Smith (1996) for the 5 eastern species.(3)

Wing venation

Range

In our area, more diverse in the north

Food

Larvae are predators or predators-inquilines (consume larval food, not the larvae) of other Hymenoptera that nest in twigs and in wood (Jennings & Deans, 2004)

Adults feed at flowers, especially on Apiaceae(2)

Life Cycle

Third instar larvae spin cocoons and overwinter, pupate in spring

Internet References

Tree of Life: Gasteruptiidae (Jennings & Deans, 2004)

Works Cited

1.	Catalog of Hymenoptera in America North of Mexico Karl V. Krombein, Paul D. Hurd, Jr., David R. Smith, and B. D. Burks. 1979. Smithsonian Institution Press.

2.	The Nearctic species of Gasteruptionidae (Hymenoptera) Townes H. 1950. Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 100(3259): 85-145.

3.	Review of the Gasteruptiidae (Hymenoptera) of Eastern North America David R. Smith. 1996. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 98:491-499.

4.	A Field Guide to Insects Richard E. White, Donald J. Borror, Roger Tory Peterson. 1998. Houghton Mifflin Co.

Contributed by john and jane balaban on 8 October, 2004 - 8:15pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, Beatriz Moisset, Aaron Schusteff, Vox Sciurorum, v belov, Harsi S. Parker, PaleoJon
Last updated 18 January, 2023 - 2:09am

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