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Euplectrus sp.
Small parasitic wasp, 2 mm long. Family Eulophidae, a group of wasps which are parasitoids on Lepidopteran larvae, feeding externally in small groups and forming external silk cocoons of the spent larval carcass. For pictures of the larvae See: http://bugguide.net/node/view/104690/bgi.... Note the very long hind tibial spur, a characteristic of the Tribe Euplectrini containing the genus Euplectrus.
Came to an ultraviolet light in the garden, San Cristobal de Las Casas, 2,200 meters.
http://zoolstud.sinica.edu.tw/Journals/4... http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/r...
Spotted on Jul 20, 2014
Submitted on Jul 22, 2014
6 Comments
Thank you John, I see now why you called them gregarious.
No - wide host range of caterpillars as external parasitoids. Caterpillars are usually exposed rather than hidden. They attack caterpillar larvae not pupae. The wasp larvae form silken cocoons - sometimes between the host caterpillar and the substrate.
Just search for "euplectrus larvae" and "euplectrus pupae" in google images and you will get an idea of what they do.
Hi John, how very interesting! Is this genus specific to any particular group of the Lepidoptera (moths)? Do they attack the last instar of the larva or the pupa itself?
Yes. The Eulophidae is my group of wasps - which I have spent many years looking at. Sadly they are so small that not many pictures of them show up.
Thank you John! I was hoping you might know this one :)
Hi Lauren
Family Eulophidae: Genus Euplectrus
These are gregarious external parasitoids of Lepidoptera larvae.
The larvae spin silken cocoons attached to the host caterpillar remains.