Wasps of the World

  Monomachus is a genus of parasitoid wasps within the family Monomachidae (superfamily: Diaprioidea), known for their distinctively long, sickle-shaped metasoma in females and large mandibles in both sexes. Found in the Southern Hemisphere (Neotropics, Australia, New Guinea), these 9.5-11.2 mm wasps act as parasitoids, particularly targeting Stratiomyidae (Diptera) fly eggs and larvae. Monomachus wasps exhibit strong sexual dimorphism. Females possess an elongated, slender, and curved metasoma (abdomen) designed for oviposition, while males have a more pedunculate, thinner abdomen. Both sexes feature unique, often large mandibles. They are primarily found in the New World tropics (especially Brazil's Atlantic rainforest) and in Australia/New Guinea. They are notably absent from New Zealand. They are parasitoids of Diptera (flies), specifically in the subfamily Chiromyzinae (Stratiomyidae). Monomachus antipodalis in Australia has been known to parasitize Boreoides species...

  Dinapsis bicolor is a species of parasitic wasp in the family Megalyridae, formally described by Simon van Noort and Scott R. Shaw in 2022. It is endemic to South Africa. This species is characterized by a pale orange-brown metasoma (abdomen) that strongly contrasts with a black head and mesosoma. It belongs to the Dinapsis hirtipes species group, which is defined by having a raised vertex (the top of the head). The female has a short ovipositor that is subequal in length to the metasoma. The species has been collected in the Northern Cape province of South Africa, specifically in the Tankwa National Park and near Nieuwoudtville. The holotype female was collected at the Ren Hiv (Renoster River) in Tankwa National Park. The specific host for D. bicolor is unknown. They are recognized by a unique forewing venation (short, truncate marginal cell) and six longitudinal carinae on the propodeum. 

  The Texas Crown Wasp is a rare species of parasitoid wasp in the family Stephanidae, characterized by a "crown" of five spike-like tubercles on its head and a long ovipositor. Females, which can reach up to 40 millimetres in length, are parasitoids of wood-boring beetle larvae, utilizing their long ovipositor to lay eggs. This wasp is known for its long, slender antennae (30 or more segments), a distinctly "crowned" head, and a very long ovipositor, sometimes with a white band near the tip. The individual pictured above is male, therefore lacks an ovipositor. As a parasitoid wasp, it primarily targets larvae of wood-boring beetles, such as Buprestidae (jewel beetles), Cerambycidae (longhorned beetles), and Curculionidae (true weevils) found in trees. They are mostly found in forested areas. While the family Stephanidae is found globally, M. texanus is specifically documented in the United States, including Texas and Arizona. These wasps are generally rarely o...

  Pleistodontes froggatti   is a small Agaonid fig wasp that acts as the specific pollinator for the Moreton Bay Fig, Ficus macrophylla , native to eastern Australia. These tiny wasps are vital for the tree's reproduction, developing inside the figs and dispersing pollen. They have successfully established outside Australia in New Zealand and Hawaii, often spreading rapidly.  P. froggatti has an obligate mutualism with Ficus macrophylla. The wasp cannot reproduce without the fig, and the fig cannot produce seeds without the wasp. Adult female wasps are tasked with finding a receptive fig to lay eggs. She crawls through a tiny, narrow opening (the ostiole), often losing her wings and antennae in the process due to the tight squeeze. Inside, she pollinates the flowers while laying eggs. Male wasps are flightless and spend their entire lives inside the fig. They hatch first, find the galls containing females, mate with them, and then dig tunnels to allow the females t...

  Ceratosolen solmsi is a species of fig wasp in the family Agaonidae that acts as the exclusive pollinator for the fig tree Ficus hispida , a tree found in parts of Asia and Australia. These wasps display extreme sexual dimorphism and spend their entire larval stage developing inside the fig syconia. Adults are very short-lived, typically surviving for less than 2 days (often less than 24 hours) after emerging. Females measure 1.4 to 1.5 mm, have wings, compound eyes, and a brownish-black dorsal colour. They are highly responsive to light (phototaxic) and use scent to find host trees. Males measure 1.1 to 1.3 mm, are wingless (apterous), and have no eyes. They spend their entire life inside the fig. A female "foundress" enters a receptive fig through a tiny opening called the ostiole, often losing her wings and antennae in the process. She lays eggs in the fig's flowers and simultaneously pollinates them. Wasp larvae develop within "galls" inside the fig for a...

  Chiloe micropteron is a rare, and very tiny wasp (around 0.8mm) in the family Baeomorphidae, formerly placed in the family Rotoitidae. It was described by Gibson and Huber in 2000. It is one of only two extant (living) species in the family Baeomorphidae, which is considered a basal group of the Chalcidoidea superfamily. The genus name is derived from Chiloé Island, and the species name refers to its very small forewings. It is found in southern Chile, specifically Chiloé Island and Puyehue National Park. Adults are associated with Sphagnum moss. The specific hosts are unknown, but it is suspected that they are parasitoids of moss-dwelling, relictual insects, possibly the Peloridiidae (moss bugs) or Myerslopiidae. Females have significantly reduced forewings that look like tiny bristles.

  A. longevittatus is a tiny Eulophid wasp in the subfamily Entiinae. This chalcidoid wasp is known to be a parasitoid of beetles that inhabit bracket fungi. The species is a parasitoid of Cis and Rhopalodontus (beetles from the family Ciidae). These hosts are found developing in Polyporaceae fungi, specifically species like Daedalea quercina (Oak mazegill), Trametes sp., Polyporus , and Phellinus . It has been recorded in Europe (including Spain and France) and parts of the Mediterranean, such as Israel. These wasps are typically very small (often under 2mm). They are known for having striking, often iridescent or metallic-looking bodies and patterned wings (maculated).

  This Evaniid wasp, commonly known as the blue-eyed ensign wasp, is a solitary, black parasitoid wasp (5.5–7.0 mm) that specializes in killing cockroach eggs. They are highly beneficial, and harmless to humans (no sting/bite), as they help control cockroach populations, and are often found around homes, compost piles, and woodpiles. They are characterized by a small, laterally compressed abdomen that "ensigns" (moves up and down). The female wasp lays a single egg inside the egg capsule (ootheca) of several cockroach species, including the American, Australian, and Oriental cockroaches. The larva hatches and consumes all the eggs within the cockroach ootheca, pupating inside and emerging as an adult in 15–30 days. They are all-black, often with brilliant blue eyes, and have a distinctive, stalked, hatchet-shaped abdomen. They are found worldwide (cosmopolitan), particularly in warm climates, and adults live for two to three weeks.

  Eopelma davidsmithi is a species of parasitoid wasp, currently placed under Incertae sedis taxa, formerly placed as a subfamily of Neanastatinae in Eupelmidae. It is colloquially known as the "Cheshire cat wasp" for its unique and odd pattern of striations on the head/face, resembling a large grin when viewed from the front. The genus is found in the Oriental region, ranging from Nepal to Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand, Borneo, and the Philippines. E. davidsmithi  is described from male specimens, collected in Sabah, Borneo. As of the latest taxonomic revisions (e.g., Gibson, 2017), no specific hosts or biological data are known for any of the six described Eopelma species.

  H. chango is a species of Pompilid wasp newly described in late 2023 by Barrera-Medina. It is a spider-hunting wasp endemic to the Región de Atacama in northern Chile. It is noted for its distinctive colour, described as having purple or violet pubescence on the head and mesosoma, contrasting with a blueish-green metasoma. It has been described as resembling a reverse Chrysis ignita (ruby-tailed wasp). It is found in the northern Chilean coastal area and has been observed in areas within the "desierto florido" (flowering desert). While it is a spider parasitoid, specific details regarding which spider species it parasitizes is unknown.  

Inostemma is a genus of tiny parasitoid wasp belonging to the family Platygastridae. These wasps are known for their distinct morphological features, particularly a long, horn-like projection on the dorsal side of the female's abdomen (metasoma) and extending forward over the thorax. This projection houses the ovipositor when not in use. They are parasitoids of gall midges (Cecidomyiidae). They are known as solitary koinobionts. This means they lay their eggs in the eggs or early-stage larvae of their host, but allow the host to continue growing and developing until it is almost full-grown before the wasp larva eventually kills it. They are found in diverse habitats, including grassland, and are often collected via sweeping vegetation. There are over 100 species of Inostemma described worldwide. It is found is Asia, Iran, Africa, Europe and the Americas.