Braconidae is a very large family of narrow-waisted wasps. There are about 17,000 recognized species worldwide and more than that as yet undescribed. Estimates of the total number of species vary widely but it may be between 20,000 and 50,000, or, according to one taxonomist, 120,000. There are about 1,700 species in North America north of Mexico, and at least 293 species in Minnesota.

Most braconid wasps are parasites of other insects or spiders, and most of these kill their hosts. Some create galls on plants.

Photo by Alfredo Colon

Description

Adult braconid wasps vary in size from 1⁄16″ to ⅝″ (2 to 15 mm) in length. Most are brownish or black, sometimes with reddish markings, but not brightly colored. They are very similar in appearance to ichneumonoid wasps (Family Ichneumonidae). They differ in having no recurrent veins or just a single recurrent vein on the forewing.


Distribution
		Sources 24, 27, 29, 30, 82.
9/6/2024


Taxonomy
Order	Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies)
Suborder	Apocrita (narrow-waisted wasps, ants, and bees)
Infraorder	Terebrantes
Superfamily	Ichneumonoidea (ichneumonid and braconid wasps)

Subordinate Taxa
Subfamily Acampsohelconinae Subfamily Agathidinae Subfamily Alysiinae Subfamily Amicrocentrinae Subfamily Aphidiinae (aphid mummy wasps) Subfamily Apozyginae Subfamily Betylobraconinae Subfamily Blacinae Subfamily Brachistinae Subfamily Braconinae Subfamily Cardiochilinae Subfamily Cenocoeliinae Subfamily Charmontinae Subfamily Cheloninae Subfamily Dirrhopinae Subfamily Doryctinae Subfamily Ecnomiinae Subfamily Euphorinae Subfamily Exothecinae Subfamily Gnamptodontinae Subfamily Helconinae Subfamily Histeromerinae Subfamily Homolobinae Subfamily Hormiinae Subfamily Ichneutinae Subfamily Khoikhoiiinae Subfamily Lysiterminae Subfamily Macrocentrinae Subfamily Masoninae Subfamily Maxfischeriinae Subfamily Mendesellinae Subfamily Mesostoinae Subfamily Meteorideinae Subfamily Meteorinae Subfamily Microgastrinae Subfamily Microtypinae Subfamily Miracinae Subfamily Neoneurinae Subfamily Opiinae Subfamily Orgilinae Subfamily Pambolinae Subfamily Pselaphaninae Subfamily Protorhyssalinae Subfamily Rhysipolinae Subfamily Rhyssalinae Subfamily Rogadinae (mummy wasps) Subfamily Seneciobraconinae Subfamily Sigalphinae Subfamily Telengaiinae Subfamily Trachypetinae Subfamily Vaepellinae Subfamily Xiphozelinae Subfamily Ypsistocerinae

Synonyms


Common Names
braconid wasps


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Alfredo Colon


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