Megastylus sp. (genus)
1 Ichneumonid wasp at Cook, ACT
Identify this sighting
| Megastylus sp. (genus) | SimoneC | 16 Jun 2023 | |
| Ichneumonidae (family) | SimoneC | 11 Jun 2023 | |
| Unverified | CathB | 5 Jun 2023 |
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Significant sighting
SimoneC noted:
16 Jun 2023
First Megastylus on CNM and includes evidence of the host, there is little if anything known about Megastylus hosts in Australia
User's notes
Six Cadmus (Lachnabothra) pupal cases were collected on 30 Jan 2023. One beetle hatched on 17 Feb by neatly removing the cap (last photo). The other cases remained closed until this wasp was seen on 25 May. It appeared to have exited the case by chewing a hole in the side (left hand case in image 4). Grid squares are 2 mm.
5 comments
5 Jun 2023
Hi Cath, do you still have this wasp? I’d like to get a good ID if possible because we know what the host was. Can you count the number of segments in the antennae? Also a photo showing the hind wing veins would be useful. I think this may the same wasp as Apocrita (suborder) (Unidentified wasp) based on the wing venation
6 Jun 2023
Hi Simone. Yes, I do still have it and I have taken some new photos to show the hind wing veins and the antennae. I hope they show what you need. See sighting 4496885. They are about the best I can do without a microscope.
11 Jun 2023
The new images confirm this is an Ichneumonidae, possibly a Cryptinae. I will keep trying to get a closer ID
16 Jun 2023
I had another look at these and got an ID based on fore and hind wing vexation and head and antennae shape as shown in Gauld I. D. (1984) An introduction to the Ichneumonidae of Australia. British Museum Natural History. Not very much is known about Megastylus in Australia, they often parasitise flies overseas, so its very interesting this was in a leaf beetle
Location information
- Coordinates 149.056247-35.261529
- Maps Mount Painter
- Places Cook, ACT
Sighting information
- 1 Abundance
- 27 May 2023 01:08 PM Recorded on
- CathB Recorded by
- Phalaris inflorescence Associated plant
- Cadmus pupa Associated animal
- 5mm to 12mm Animal size
- Alive / healthy Animal health
Collections
- Significant Insects Wasps (Hymenoptera, Apocrita) Parasitic wasps (numerous families) CathB Canberra & Southern Tablelands NatureMapr Megastylus sp. (genus)
Species information
- Megastylus sp. (genus) Scientific name
- Ichneumonid wasp Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- External link More information
Record quality
Quality score
6 / 7
- Images or audio
- More than one media file
- Verified by an expert moderator
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- Description
- Additional attributes
- GPS evidence of location