Orange Braconid Wasp

Other Parasitic Wasps
                                                  

 

 

Cuckoo Wasp - Family CHRYSIDIDAE

This page contains pictures and information about the Cuckoo Wasps that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
 
Body length 20mm
 
There are many Cuckoo Wasp species and they look similar. Usually they are metallic blue or green in colour. Most species are external parasites of other wasp larvae. Females lay eggs in nest of other wasps (Eumeninae of Vespidae and  Sphecidae) while the nest host collect food for larvae. Cuckoo Wasp larvae hatch and feed on the food or the host larvae.
 
The adult Cuckoo Wasp's back is well armoured and with abdomen concave beneath. When disturbed, it curl up into a ball. This is a defense behavior against the attack by angry nest host.
 
Cuckoo Wasps are common in Brisbane suburban. They are usually seen flying slowly looking for wasp nest.  
 

 
Large Cuckoo Wasp
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Stilbum cyanurum, subfamily Chrysidinae, body length 20mm
The wasp in the above photos was collected by our friend Ben inside his house in Brisbane during mid summer. We set it free after we took those photos. 
Reference
1. Insects of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University Press, 2nd Edition 1991, pp 973.
2. Stilbum superbum - Insects of Townsville, Australia - Graeme Cocks, 2004
 
 
Small Cuckoo Wasp 1
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? sp., body length 10mm
Pictures were taken near Bulimba Creek in Wishart on Oct 2007. 
 
 
Small Cuckoo Wasp 2
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? sp., body length 10mm
Pictures were taken in a bushland new Tingalpa Reservoir on Feb 2009, Those small green wasps were usually found waiting near tree holes when other wasps build the mud-cell nest.
 
 

Reference and Link:
1. Insects of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University Press, 2nd Edition 1991, pp 973.
2. A field guide to insects in Australia - By Paul Zborowski and Ross Storey, Reed New Holland, 1996, p187.

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Up ] Family ICHNEUMONIDAE ] Family BRACONIDAE ] Family CHALCIDIDAE ] Family TORYMIDAE ] Family MYMARIDAE ] [ Family CHRYSIDIDAE ] Family Eupelmidae ] Other Parasitic Wasp ]


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Last updated: February 17, 2009.