insectsandflight.com
all pictures © robin williams
revised 2-7-2021
Parasitica
ichneumons, chalcids, cynipids etc
PARASITICA is a large but little-studied and often still only partly-understood sub-order. Some of the problem lies in the extremely fragmented, and often incomplete, sets of keys that are available. The Royal Entomological Society (RES) has a number of handbooks for ICHNEUMOIDEA but these do not cover all the genera, which makes it particularly difficult. The majority of these handbooks are hard to follow, with obscure terminology and difficult-to-understand diagrams. However, this means it is a most rewarding and interesting group to study, without hosts of other people involved and all the basic groundwork already fully understood - in other words a thorough-going challenge. The good news is that the Natural History Museum, through one of its staff, Gavin Broad, has developed, and continues the development of, a set of keys to sub-families which will at least take the process one step further and open up opportunities to others. The old handbooks are available on the RES site as free downloads.
Two other groups may be seen as particularly worthy of study, because of their connections and comparative ease of collection - parts of Cynipoidea & Chalcidoidea.
CYNIPIDAE contains the majority of the causers of the 75 galls found on British oaks. Many galls are readily raised, so the causers may be identified with certainty. Others in the family are inquilines that feed in the same galls but do not feed on, or set out to cause damage, to the causers. Other cynipids are causers and inquilines of various galls on Rosae. My two-volume book, 'Oak-galls in Britain', is an in-depth study of these galls and their inhabitants. See Vanellus books.
The British Plant Gall Society (BPGS) has undertaken a long-term study into the inhabitants of the Rose bedeguar (13, including causer, inquiline & parasitoids). Keys to these are available from the society and everyone is welcome to join in the rearing and recognition programme. (BPGS website)
Among these, CHALCIDS are commonly found parasitising many gall causers and inquilines, as well as each other. They are fascinating creatures in their own right, often metallic & beautifully coloured, ranging from 1mm to over 12mm in length, though the majority are small. Keys for various families are available, but are never particularly easy. However, the effort is worthwhile.
SUB-ORDER APOCRITA
PARASITICA – Ichneumons & Parasitic wasps
SUPER FAMILY / Family
TRIGONALYOIDEA
Trigonalyidae - complicated life history; parasitic on Symphyta and Lepidoptera caterpillars which swallow the eggs of the parasite (picture not available)
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EVANOIDEA
Evaniidae – parasitoids in cockroaches
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Aulacidae – parasitoids of wood-boring Hymenoptera or Coleoptera
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Gasteruptiidae – secondary parasites on food in nest-cells of solitary bees
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CYNIPOIDEA
Aphelinidae - very small parasitic wasps on the larvae and eggs of a variety of groups
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Figitidae – parasitise Diptera or Neuroptera
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Eucoilidae – parasitise wide range of Dipteran larvae
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Cynipidae – The majority are gall-inducers on oak and rosae, the remainder on a variety of hosts; the rest are inquiline feeders on plant material
See Gall insects and Gall insect gallery. The picture below is of a plant gall covered in cynipid causers.
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Charipidae – secondary parasitoids on braconids or chalcids
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CHALCIDOIDEA
Aphelinidae – parasitic wasps, mostly on Aphids
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Chalcididae – parasitic wasps, mainly on Lepidoptera & Diptera
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Elasmidae - parasitic wasps on lepidopterous larvae
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Encyrtidae- parasitic on scale insects, coccids and Arachnidae
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Eulophidae - wasps parasitic on a wide variety of orders; both external and internal parasitoids of Diptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera and Hymenoptera, while some are internal parasitoids of the eggs of these. See Gall insects and Gall insect gallery.
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Eucharitidae - parasitic wasps on ant larvae
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Eupelmidae - parasitic wasps on a variety of larvae and eggs. See Gall insects and Gall insect gallery.
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Eucoilidae – parasitise wide range of Dipteran larvae
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Eurytomidae - with extremely diverse host associations, from stem miners to gall formers, parasitoids and others. See Gall insects and Gall insect gallery.
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Figitidae – parasitise Diptera or Neuroptera
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Ibaliidae – parasitic on Wood-wasp larvae
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Mymaridae – internal parasitoids of insect eggs
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Ormyridae - parasitic on gall-forming insects. See Gall insects and Gall insect gallery.
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Perilampidae – parasitoids in Diaprionidae, Chrysopidae, Coleoptera & Tenthredinidae
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Pteromalidae - parasitic wasps on a number of orders. See Gall insects and Gall insect gallery.
Tetracampidae - parasitic wasps, mostly on leaf-mining insects
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Torymidae - parasitic wasps, & some develop in seed endosperm. See Gall insects and Gall insect gallery..
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Trichogrammatidae – parasitoids on eggs of a wide variety of aquatic and terrestrial insects
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PROCTOTRUPOIDEA
Heloridae - parasitic wasps, on larval Chrysopidae
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Proctotrupidae - parasitic wasps, mostly on Coleoptera larvae
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Diapriidae - parasitic wasps, but little known about their biology
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Scelionidae - parasitic wasps, on eggs of insects/arthropods
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Platygasteridae - parasitic wasps, mostly on Diptera
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CERAPHRONOIDEA
Megaspilidae - parasitic wasps, on a wide range of hosts
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Ceraphronidae- parasitic wasps, but little known about their biology
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ICHNEUMONOIDEA
Ichneumonidae (Ichneumons) - parasitic or predatory on Lepidoptera & Symphyta, as well as others
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Braconididae (braconids) - parasitic or predatory on Lepidoptera & Symphyta, as well as others
