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Two-toned Caterpillar Parasite Wasp - Heteropelma scaposum
Family ICHNEUMONIDAE
- This page contains pictures and information about Two-toned caterpillar
parasite Wasps that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
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 - Body length
20mm
- Two-toned caterpillar parasite is so-called because of the wasp has the
two-toned body colouring, black in the head/thorax and orange at the abdomen.
The wasp has yellow legs and clear wings.
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- This wasp was get caught by a spider web (first picture). Some other wasps of the same
species were wandering near by (second picture). We believe they were searching for caterpillars
to parasite.
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- This wasp is common in Brisbane garden. They are often found
flying around low bushes about one meter above ground.
-
- This wasps attack Native
Budworm helicoverpa and Armyworm
Spodoptera caterpillars, but their larvae
do not complete development until after the host caterpillar has pupated
underground.
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- The wasp stings caterpillars at larger instars stages. After being parasitised, the host caterpillar continues
to grow and pupate as normal. However, shortly after pupation, parasitoid
feeds and kills the host. After the parasitoid is fully developed, it pupates within the
host pupal case. The adult wasp emerges by chewing open the pupal case and exits the pupal chamber by crawling up the emergence tunnel.
In spring, the parasitoid starts developing, the wasps emerging soon after the emergence of the
over-wintering Helicoverpa moths.
- Reference:
- 1. Insects
of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University
Press, 2nd Edition 1991, pp 943.
- 2. Heteropelma scaposum
- Australian Insect Common Names, CSIRO, 2005.
- 3. Parasitoids:
Natural enemies of helicoverpa - Department of Primary Industries and
Fisheries, Queensland, 2005
- 4. Wasps - family Ichneumonidae - lifeunseen.com, by Nick Monaghan.
[ Up ] [ Yellow-banded Ichneumon Wasp ] [ Orchid Dupe Wasp ] [ Case Moth Larvae Parasite Wasp ] [ Orange Caterpillar Parasite Wasp ] [ Banded Pupa Parasite Wasp 1 ] [ Banded Pupa parasite Wasp 2 ] [ Black and White-striped Ichneumon Wasp ] [ Black Ichneumon Wasp ] [ Brown Ichneumon Wasp ] [ Orange Pupa Parasite Wasp ] [ Two-toned Caterpillar Parasite Wasp ] [ Hover Fly Larvae Parasite Wasps ]
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