Megastylus sp. (genus)

1 Ichneumonid wasp at Cook, ACT

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Identification history

Megastylus sp. (genus)	16 Jun 2023	SimoneC
Ichneumonidae (family)	11 Jun 2023	SimoneC
Unidentified	5 Jun 2023	CathB

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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

SimoneC wrote:

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

CathB wrote:

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.

SimoneC wrote:

6 Jun 2023

Thanks Cath, those images will help

SimoneC wrote:

11 Jun 2023

The new images confirm this is an Ichneumonidae, possibly a Cryptinae. I will keep trying to get a closer ID

SimoneC wrote:

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

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