Mantis Ootheca Parasite Wasp - female

Family: Torymidae Tribe: Pogarionini

Description:

This small wasp (about 4 mm long) had a metallic sheen on thorax and abdomen. Eyes were large and red. Antennae were impressive -thick and club-shaped; they were elbowed and feeling around. The wasp had an ovipositor probably the same length as the abdomen.
The hind leg femurs appeared thick and the tibiae were bowed (pic 3).

Habitat:

Spotted on a tree in a reserve. The wasp was actively inspecting an empty mantis ootheca.

Notes:

I could not get any clear shots of this very active female wasp.
My thanks to John La Salle for the ID and expert information. He says : "This is what I like - chalcid wasps. Too bad that they are so small that most people don't get any pictures of them. This is in the family Torymidae. It is a bit unusual for a torymid in that it has enlarged hind legs (like the Chalcididae). But the metallic coloration and long ovipositor (as well as the host) give it away. This is probably the genus Podagrion - or something quite near it in the tribe Podagrionini. As you might suspect from your pictures, species are all parasitoids in mantid egg cases. "
http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_...
Superfamily: Chalcidoidea
Family: Torymidae
Tribe : Podagrionini

Species ID Suggestions

3 Comments

Leuba Ridgway 9 years ago

Thank you so much John La Salle for looking at this spotting and for the information. It's a pity I could not get better shots.

My husband's just shown me the spread of Torymidae across the world - amazing !

John La Salle 9 years ago

Hi Leuba
This is what I like - chalcid wasps. Too bad that they are so small that most people don't get any pictures of them.
This is in the family Torymidae. It is a bit unusual for a torymid in that it has enlarged hind legs (like the Chalcididae). But the metallic coloration and long ovipositor (as well as the host) give it away.
This is probably the genus Podagrion - or something quite near it in the tribe Podagrionini. As you might suspect from your pictures, species are all parasitoids in mantid egg cases.