Gabor GDinocampus coccinellae.
Nature is both fantastic and cruel.
https://blogg.forskning.no/insektokologene/verdens-darligst-betalte-barnevakt/1688705
Quim Morató
Alex WildQuite pleased with this shot of an Urosigalphus braconid wasp I got in central Austin today. I suspect the wasps are emerging from live oak acorns, having parasitized the grubs acorn weevils.
Not many live photos exist of this genus, it seems.
Here's a wasp species I'm guessing hasn't been photographed alive more than a handful of times.
In the field I thought it might be a microgastrine braconid. But it's Cardiochiles explorator, in a different subfamily. From Van Horn, Texas.
Colin PurringtonAnyone good at identifying small wasps from photographs? I could use some help on this iNaturalist observation from 2018. Might be Nealiolus or Aliolus ... or something else entirely. @bugid #inaturalist #wasp #hymenoptera #braconid #braconidae #insects #entomology
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/14744462
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/14744462
neville parkDown by the lake the other day, my favourite willow was positively covered with large purple aphids making their way up the trunk—and the air was alive with swarms of tiny parasitoid wasps (family Braconidae) preying on them! Here is one injecting an egg into an aphid. The aphids become swollen husks as the wasp hatches, feeds, and pupates, eventually cutting a neat hole and emerging as an adult, ready to continue the cycle. I have never seen the wasps emerging but hope to one day.
#bugstodon #insects #wasps #aphids #parasitism • #Hymenoptera #Braconidae #Aphidiinae
Some drama in the garden. A hairstreak caterpillar sits alive but severely weakened on a batch of developing parasitic wasps that had been living inside it but emerged to pupate.
MyrmecofourmisCette petite guêpe transforme des coccinelles en zombies-gardes-du-corps pour protéger son cocon !
https://www.myrmecofourmis.fr/La-guepe-parasite-qui-transforme-les-coccinelles-en-gardes-du-corps
#science #cafedessciences #biologie #nature #coccinelles #insectes #entomologie #Braconidae
Donald HobernIn 2018, Fernandez-Triana et al. described various #wasps in the family #Braconidae, including a genus #Qrocodiledundee and the species Qrocodiledundee outbackense.
I find this comment under #etymology really odd:
'Named after the iconic Australian movie “Crocodile Dundee” ... The first letter of the name is changed to a “Q” to guarantee the uniqueness of the name and avoid potential homonyms.'
https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.64.25453
How likely was a Crocodiledundee #homonym?
Seventeen new genera of microgastrine parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) from tropical areas of the world
As part of comprehensive studies on the world fauna of microgastrine parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) 17 new genera and 29 new species are described from the Afrotropical, Australasian, Neotropical and Oriental regions. The number of extant genera of Microgastrinae is increased by 21% and currently stands at 81. It is anticipated that more genera will be described in the near future, when phylogenetic studies of the group are advanced. The new taxa showcase unusual morphological traits such as atypical head and mouth part modifications, presence of partial occipital and epicnemial carinae, propodeum carination patterns, hind wing venation, trochantellus shape, tarsal claws, sculpture and shape of the first two metasomal tergites, and ovipositor teeth; in some cases, they also represent some of the largest species known in the subfamily. For every new genus putative autapomorphies, morphological diagnostic features, and DNA barcodes (whenever available) are presented, as well as brief discussions of some informal groupings of genera in the subfamily. However, no attempt is made to reassess the phylogeny of the entire Microgastrinae, as that will require more comprehensive analyses beyond the scope of the present work. The following 17 gen. n., authored by Fernandez-Triana, are described: Agupta, Austinicotesia, Billmasonius, Carlmuesebeckius, Gilbertnixonius, Janhalacaste, Jenopappius, Jimwhitfieldius, Kotenkosius, Markshawius, Ohenri, Qrocodiledundee, Silvaspinosus, Tobleronius, Ungunicus, Ypsilonigaster and Zachterbergius. The following 29 sp. n., authored by Fernandez-Triana and Boudreault, are described: Agupta danyi, Agupta jeanphilippei, Agupta raymondi, Agupta solangeae, Austinicotesia indonesiensis, Austinicotesia papuanus, Billmasonius cienci, Carlmuesebeckius smithsonian, Gilbertnixonius biem, Janhalacaste danieli, Janhalacaste guanacastensis, Janhalacaste winnieae, Jenopappius magyarmuzeum, Jimwhitfieldius jamesi, Jimwhitfieldius sydneyae, Kotenkosius tricarinatus, Markshawius erucidoctus, Markshawius francescae, Markshawius thailandensis, Ohenri gouletorum, Qrocodiledundee outbackense, Silvaspinosus vespa, Tobleronius orientalis, Ungunicus vietnamensis, Ypsilonigaster naturalis, Ypsilonigaster sharkeyi, Ypsilonigaster tiger, Ypsilonigaster zuparkoi, and Zachterbergius tenuitergum. The following four comb. n. are proposed: Jenopappius niger (de Saeger, 1944), Jenopappius aethiopica (de Saeger, 1944), Ypsilonigaster bumbana (de Saeger, 1942), and Ypsilonigaster pteroloba (de Saeger, 1944).