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Project Noah Nature School
Poecilocryptus
While studying acacia galls this tiny yellow wasp turned up to examine them also. It was about 20mm long including the ovipositor, and had striking yellow colour with black markings. It seems fairly certain it was looking to cause trouble for a gall insect by planting an egg into it. (The ovipositor seems exactly the right length for these galls)
On endemic acacia species in wetland reserve.
Photo quality not good but should be enough to ID.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/69610519@N...
family: ICHNEUMONIDAE
subfamily: Labeninae
http://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:b...
Spotted on Oct 17, 2012
Submitted on Oct 17, 2012
4 Comments
Changed ID
3 or 4 visually similar species now with very varied ovipositors
Thanks Arlanda. I'm sure they know what to do when they find the right target. I've heard somewhere they have a zinc tip on the ovipositor ! That's pretty amazing if true. Hope an ID will tell me more.
Wow, impressive Argy Bee. You must be right, the wasp looks suspiciously interested in the gall but it must be difficult to reach the host