Orange Braconid Wasp - ? Chaoilta sp.

Family BRACONIDAE

This page contains pictures and information about Orange Braconid Wasps that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.

Body length 15mm

 

This wasp is orange in colour with black head and black antenna. Its legs are orange. Its wings are also tinted with orange with black bands.

 

 

 

We sometimes found this Orange Braconid Wasp examining under bark on tree trunk.  

 

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Attack Moth Caterpillars

 

 

 

In early summer Oct 2007 along Bulimba Creek in Wishart, on a small plant (Hovea sp.) we saw five to six Orange Braconid Wasps flying up and down. Came closer to the plant, we saw the whole small plant was infected by many caterpillars (Tree Lucerne Moth caterpillars). Those wasps were trying to lay eggs on those caterpillars. 

 

 

 

All caterpillars, included the large and small ones, loosely surrounded themselves by silks as a kind of protection. Those silk may hinder some wasps from moving close to them. But the wasps moved carefully and seems they had attacked most of the caterpillars.   

 

 

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Reference:

1. A field guide to insects in Australia - By Paul Zborowski and Ross Storey, Reed New Holland, 1996, p185.

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Last updated: October 25, 2007.