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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » "Parasitica" - Parasitoid Wasps » Braconid and Ichneumonid Wasps (Ichneumonoidea) » Braconid Wasps (Braconidae) » Microgastrinae
Photo#782518
Can anyone tell me what this might be?
Copyright © 2013 Amy Goodman

Can anyone tell me what this might be?
Seminole, Seminole County, Oklahoma, USA
June 7, 2013
This was found in a local park on a dead branch. It was the yellowish color that caught my eye! Appears to be a caterpillar in a silken cocoon/nest? What would make this structure?

Images of this individual: tag all
Can anyone tell me what this might be? Can anyone tell me what this might be? Can anyone tell me what this might be? (Parasitized Caterpillar) - male - female Can anyone tell me what this might be? (Parasitized Caterpillar) Can anyone tell me what this might be? (Parasitized Caterpillar) Can anyone tell me what this might be? (Parasitized Caterpillar)
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Contributed by Amy Goodman on 8 June, 2013 - 8:19am
Last updated 1 December, 2014 - 1:09pm

Moved
Moved from Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies.
… Bob Carlson, 10 June, 2013 - 2:57pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Amy Goodman, 10 June, 2013 - 8:21am login or register to post comments

This ended up being a parasatized caterpillar...
I'll add photos of a wasp as soon as I figure out how to get one and release the others... quite a few chewed their way out. Quite amazing to watch!
… Amy Goodman, 10 June, 2013 - 7:40am login or register to post comments

 
Three-way relationship.
There are three organisms shown here, I believe.
The dead caterpillar, the fungal growth, and the wasps that
emerged from it. I know there are purely fungal parasites and purely
"wasp" parasites, but I never have noticed this particular relationship. Did the wasp's parasitism cause the fungal growth, or did the fungal growth come first?
… stan gilliam, 10 June, 2013 - 1:26pm login or register to post comments

 
And, oh yes,
the tree! (Making four organisms.)
… stan gilliam, 10 June, 2013 - 1:27pm login or register to post comments

 
I assumed it was the wasps parasitization
That caused the caterpillar to wrap itself up... Like the mind control type of parasitization. No?
… Amy Goodman, 10 June, 2013 - 3:29pm login or register to post comments

 
I don't think the
yellow matter is a coccoon. The caterpillar died too soon. I think it is fungal growth. I'm no expert, so maybe someone else will chime in.
Lots of caterpillars get parasitized.
… stan gilliam, 10 June, 2013 - 5:42pm login or register to post comments

Perhaps
a fungus growing around larva.
… stan gilliam, 8 June, 2013 - 8:24am login or register to post comments

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