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Photo#894889
Copper Underwing, parasitized - Amphipyra pyramidoides

Copper Underwing, parasitized - Amphipyra pyramidoides
100 Acre Wood, Winneshiek County, Iowa, USA
May 26, 2010

Images of this individual: tag all
Copper Underwing, parasitized - Amphipyra pyramidoides Parasitized Copper Underwing

I suspect
This is a Glyptapanteles microgastrine braconid wasp. I recently found and posted a smaller caterpillar of the same species with a similar cocoon grasped in the zombie caterpillar's prolegs. My caterpillar strongly and consistently twitched its forebody back when I lightly touched it near the cocoon. Search zombie caterpillar bodyguard and see my posting for more details.
Now I find someone far preceded my alert to you.
And, my suspicion has been corrected. Mine turns out to be a Microplitis. While it looks similar in some ways to yours, it may be another beast.

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