Ichnumid wasp, species unknown

Wasps belong to the insect order Hymenoptera. Many people associate painful stings with this group. Wasps are not all bad insects. They don't all sting or bite, and many of them are tremendously beneficial. There are over 17,000 species of wasp worldwide; most of them do not produce mud or paper nests and do not have complicated social hierarchies. In fact, most wasp species are solitary, won't or can't sting, and are harmless.

The trouble I have with them is in identification. Have a look at the insect shown in the above photo. It is a wasp, but what kind? In the US and Canada there are over 4,000 species. There are the social insects such as wasps and hornets. There are solitary wasps that feed on nectar and pollen as adults and parasitize insects as larvae. Then there are the horntails and sawflies that add to the challenge of identification.

I first thought the wasp was a type of Odontocolon, but the ovipositor (the long, curved end projecting off the abdomen) isn't as long as I would think and it has a downward curve, which is unusual. I found some braconid wasps that look similar, but they tend to be very small, much smaller than this wasp was. I looked all over for any information that could help with its identification but came up empty. The books I have do lip service to the subject; a few species are mentioned. Websites tend to be area-specific, and none of the sites I visited gave me a better understanding that where I am currently at.

I tried the app Pictureinsect which is supposed to help identify the subject. It first suggested a true bug and then gave an alternative suggestion as a pelecinid wasp, which was better but still a significant way off. So, I did what I sometimes do when I get stumped. I turn to people who know this stuff much better than I do.

I sent an email off to the UBC entomology department. I don't expect to hear from them for a couple of days. If I do, I will add a note to this.

These are such fascinating insects. Their life cycles and parasitic preferences are amazing. Many of these wasps are not only important as pollinators, they are important in controlling pests. I just want to know what it does and is. Somehow, that really interests me.

Thanks for reading.     Ericspix     Eric Svendsen

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hang in there, things will get better.

Image
The Svendsen Family - Eric, Samuel, Leanne, Joshua (top row), Nora, Kathryn, Chanelle, Emma If I could go back, in my mind, to a day in my life when I was really down, it would be nice to be able to see into the future.  If could see things as they are today, with the many blessings that have been given to me, it would give me hope knowing that things wouldn't always be so discouraging.   The message here is we do not know what the future holds.  When things are bad, it is hard to raise your head out of the mire to see beyond the darkness.  There are no guarantees, of course, that things will be better, but I think it is true that fortunes ebb and flow as tides do.  The trick is to see beyond the low points and not be too haughty during the high ones.  I know that, at this moment, things are very good.  What the future holds is unknown, but low and high points are likely in the forecast.   This is why taking satisfaction from the moment is so important.  Instead of looking forward
Read more

Working out life's problems.

Image
Kathryn and Eric - together for 35 years. Whoever said life is easy hasn't been alive for very long.  Yes, although there may be times when everything sails along very nicely, the truth is that hardship is just around the corner, in both directions. The essence of the problem is that we are imperfect beings and we live in an imperfect world.  Bad things happen, both to us and those we care about.  We make decisions and take actions that others may oppose or be hurt by.  Even when, after much thought and research, we do what we think is best or right, our opinions or behaviours are not approved by those we love.  People get hurt, and sometimes the hurt leads to serious repercussions.   I can say that Kathryn and I are happily married.  But I can also say that our relationship has gone through difficult moments.  A great deal of the challenges we have faced have come about because of differences in opinion, differences in problem management, and difficulties in effective communicatio
Read more

Dastardly Dachshund Destroys Fabrics.

Image
Murphy's blanket (left) and Sterling's pant leg hem (right) - It took only a moment. We have had 5 dachshunds now, Murphy being the latest itineration, and they have quite a few characteristics in common.  This blog is about one of them - they love to chew things, and can completely destuff and destroy a dog toy in moments.  Of course, that behaviour isn't just restricted to toys.  Blankets, quilts, articles of clothing, really any kind of fabric - these dogs love to have their way with them.  And that usually means making holes. We restrict the types of fabric that Murphy tears apart into his dog blanket and his toys.  However, he can turn his destructive influence to other chewy temptations on occasion.  We usually catch him before any damage is done, but if he is left unattended and has an opportunity, he can render a garment unusable quickly.  This fact was thoroughly established this New Year's Eve. We had friends over to celebrate the turning over of the calendar.
Read more