Dead Metallic wasp ID

[GrayB]

Evening,
I found a dead Metallic wasp like insect today, it was around 8mm in length and i imagine that when it was alive it would of been very impressive to see, could anyone tell me anymore about it please. Thanks.
Gray.

[Torymus]

A parasitic wasp. Probably a chalcid - Chalcidoidea - possibly in family Pteromalidae. A female.

[Jason Green]

Originally Posted by Torymus

A parasitic wasp. Probably a chalcid - Chalcidoidea - possibly in family Pteromalidae. A female.

Agree - most definately a chalcid! I like these ones... this individual is in the dead position, arching the head and abdomen upwards. They parasitize asparagus beetles, white butterflies, gall wasps, scale insects and some go for spiders. They may be ID's to superfamily (Chalcidoidea) by the elbowed antenna, size of around 3mm and minimal wing venation.

How can you sex it?

[GrayB]

Thanks Torymus, Jason
You talk about it as if it's common, are they? I've never seen one before in my life, at first i thought it may be a juvenile ruby tail wasp.
Chalcid would refer to a group? Can you pinpoint this particular one?
Gray.

[Jason Green]

Originally Posted by GrayB

Thanks Torymus, Jason
You talk about it as if it's common, are they? I've never seen one before in my life, at first i thought it may be a juvenile ruby tail wasp.
Chalcid would refer to a group? Can you pinpoint this particular one?
Gray.

Common... as a group, I'd have to say I should think so, yes. Just look through hedgerows on a warm day for insects of a similar size. Chalcidoidea is a superfamily, which contains a lot of different families.

See Chalcids on the NHM page.

[Torymus]

There are about 1800 species of Chalcidoidea in Britain. Many of them are very common and abundant. Very many of them have beautiful metallic tints and look absolutely brilliant with good lighting. There are about 500 species in the family Pteromalidae - most of them are parasitoids of the larvae of other hymenoptera, flies, beetles etc. Their biologies are amazing. Unlike the ichneumonids very few of the chalcids have long visible ovipositor sheaths (but some do eg Torymidae). Sexing the adults can therefore be difficult. In the Pteromalidae the "abdomen" of the female is often longer, deeper and more pointed than that of the male. In your photograph the detached bit looks like a female abdomen. Sorry I can't get it to species and it may not even be a pteromalid!

[GrayB]

Jason, Torymus,
Thanks for the link and info on this, it really has given me alot to think about and alot of reading up to do.
With that many species i'm amazed how i havn't seen more of them around or maybe i just havn't been looking, thanks again.
Gray.