Parasitic wasps (numerous families)

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Parasitic wasps (numerous families)

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DiBickers

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Discussion

DiBickers wrote:

1 Jul 2025

@kasiaaus ruling out the mud-nesting spider wasps & potter wasps, it’s also possible this could be the larva of one of the parasitoid wasps like the Ichneumon/Braconid Wasps. Apparently their larvae can feed openly on the host like this but I’m still not sure how we can go about verifying the ID without raising the larva☹️

Ichneumonoidea (Superfamily)

KimberiRP wrote:

13 Jun 2025

Family Gasteruptiidae is correct, but the genus may not be Gasteruption; could be Pseudofoenus.

Gasteruption sp. (genus)

kasiaaus wrote:

9 Jun 2025

Thank you @DiBickers. I did not see any mud nest nearby so it is probably a fly larva. The spider with the parasite was on a gum tree trunk about 1.5m off the ground.

Ichneumonoidea (Superfamily)

DiBickers wrote:

9 Jun 2025

@kasiaaus if these spiders were found near a broken mud nest it’s likely the grub is a wasp larva. If you found it out in the open with no nest nearby it’s likely this is a fly larva. An example that target spiders are the small-headed flies (Family Acroceridae). Unfortunately, I’ve never seen them ID’d in these instances & the only way to ensure identification is truly accurate would be to raise it and see what hatches after the larva pupates.

Ichneumonoidea (Superfamily)

DiBickers wrote:

12 May 2025

I agree, the hind leg & the head and antennae look like a Chalcid Wasp.

Chalcidoidea (superfamily)