Hymenoptera: Gall Wasp Gall and wasp

Also, technically speaking...

What this wasp is sitting on is not a gall, but a leaf roll made by a weevil (Attelabidae).

… Charley Eiseman, 14 June, 2014 - 8:15am

Moved

I see a marked resemblance here:

Moved from ID Request.

… Bob Carlson, 22 April, 2014 - 7:56pm

Well, technically speaking ...

... this is not a gall wasp, although it is a wasp sitting on a gall. Gall wasps refer to the family Cynipidae which forms galls (usually on oaks and roses). Other insects (flies, sawflies, leps) may form galls on other plants. The one pictured here looks like a braconid - a group which does NOT (with 1 rare exception, I think) form galls. Braconids usually attack lepidoptera larvae - so it may be hunting whatever is in that gall.

… Bob Zuparko, 22 April, 2014 - 10:12am

Interesting!

Thank you. I appreciate that information. Do you have any idea what the species of braconid might be?

… Susan Leach Snyder, 22 April, 2014 - 10:15am

Braconid…

I suspect that this female may be in the subfamily Braconinae due to the groups' tendency to seek out hosts that are concealed in some way. Hosts include caterpillars and beetle larvae, but gall midges are also on the menu. Would probably need to see a close-up of the wing venation to confirm, however.

See reference here.

… Ross Hill, 22 April, 2014 - 11:21am

I once described...

...a braconine in genus Compsobraconoides from Costa Rica that attacked a gall-making curculionid beetle larva (in the gall). Braconinae is a huge subfamily of braconids. Braconidae is huge family of wasps. From the images it's really hard to say for sure what this is, other than that this is a braconid. Braconinae is as good a guess for subfamily is there is.

… Joe, 22 April, 2014 - 12:11pm

Thank you!

I appreciate this information.

… Susan Leach Snyder, 22 April, 2014 - 1:28pm