wasps ID

[Fritillary]

hello there!
I keep going finding things with my insects.
After Pteromidae and Torymidae, I found these other things:
Picasa Web Albums - Flora - wild

I think they are Pemphredoninae and Perilampidae family. It looks they are parasitoid of solitary wasps (vespoidea) but well not sure
I found quite fascinant the insect world, we see insects flying around and people are annoyed with wasps, but they have big battles for survival. I found with the Perilampidae, some heads of the wasps, all had been eaten by the little green bugs.

If somebody of you know what family they are, could you tell me what do you think?

[ChrisR]

Originally Posted by Fritillary

I found quite fascinant the insect world, we see insects flying around and people are annoyed with wasps, but they have big battles for survival.

I can't really comment on the names of those wasps - I have forgotten most of my work with the smaller Hymenoptera ... but your suggestions don't seem all that far from the mark. (try posting on HymIS for an expert view)

But sure, I get a little frustrated when I say to non-entomologists that I study wasps or flies because they have one, very fixed interpretation of what those words mean. "Wasps" are always 'social wasps' ... nasty stinging things that annoy picnickers; and "Flies" are always bluebottles that have unsavory habits and spread diseases etc. Not a very good introduction to two of the largest groups of insect with some of the most interesting and wonderful life-histories!

[Fritillary]

Thanks for your post. Well originally I am specialised on invasive plant species but after finishing my studies I found a part job identifying wasps and bees, which I love because I am learning lot of things. For example, it is said that the Perilampidae are secundary parasites, that is they are parasites of wasp parasites . I wonder if the Perilampidae have also parasites..and like that to infinitum....

I understand perfectly about the regard that people give to "simple" insects (and in general nature, native plants in gardens are seen as weeds, insects as a nuisance in summer, etc etc).
Just I hope I will be able to get a permanent job in order to do vulgarisation of what nature is about. As you see, I pass "my discoveries" here

[ChrisR]

Originally Posted by Fritillary

after finishing my studies I found a part job identifying wasps and bees, which I love because I am learning lot of things. For example, it is said that the Perilampidae are secundary parasites, that is they are parasites of wasp parasites . I wonder if the Perilampidae have also parasites..and like that to infinitum....

Hyperparasitism is fairly common ... a lot commoner than most people would believe. Rearing out Oak and Rose galls is a great way to quickly study parasitoid communities. The gall-formers (cynipid plant parasites themselves) play host to a number of chalcid and ichneumon wasp parasitoids. The galls are also raided by inquiline squatters (usually distant cousins of the gall formers) and some of these can eat so much of the gall that the host itself dies of starvation - turning the inquilines from gall wasp parasites into cleptoparasitoids.