torymid wasps

(Family Torymidae)

Overview
torymid wasp (Family Torymidae)
Photo by Alfredo Colon
 

Torymidae is a large family of small parasitic wasps. They occur worldwide on every continent except Antarctica. There are currently 986 recognized species in 68 genera worldwide, about 230 species in 21 genera in North America north of Mexico, and at least 12 species in 5 genera in Minnesota.

Larvae of many species feed on larvae of gall making insects, caterpillars, or other insect larvae. Some species feed on developing seeds. A few feed on both gall maker larva and plant tissue of the gall itself.

 
           
 
Description
 
 

Torymid wasps are small, 132 to 516 (1.1 to 7.5 mm) in length, not including the ovipositor. Most are just 116to (2 to 4 mm) long. Most are metallic green. The thorax is sculptured. The large principal plate on the upper part of the thorax (mesoscutum) has a line (parapsidial line or parapsidial suture) on each side that correspond to a muscle beneath the plate. On almost all species, the slender body segment connecting the thorax and abdomen (petiole) is transverse, not distinct. The abdomen is smooth and shiny. The first segment (coxa) of the hind leg is much larger than the coxa of the front leg. The third segment (femur) of the hind leg is slender. On the forewing the hairs (setae) are long, the marginal vein is long, and the dark cell on the leading edge (stigma) is very short.

On the female the abdomen is compressed laterally. The ovipositor is clearly exserted and is as long as the abdomen or sometimes much longer. The third segment (femur) of the hind leg is swollen.

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

24, 27, 29, 30, 82.

 
  9/28/2022      
         
 
Taxonomy
 
 

Order

Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies)  
 

Suborder

Apocrita (narrow-waisted wasps, ants, and bees)  
  Infraorder Proctotrupomorpha  
 

Superfamily

Chalcidoidea (chalcidoid wasps)  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

Subfamily Chalcimerinae

Subfamily Glyphomerinae

Subfamily Megastigminae

Subfamily Microdontomerinae

Subfamily Monodontomerinae

Subfamily Podagrioninae

Subfamily Thaumatoryminae

Subfamily Toryminae

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

torymid wasps

torymids

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Coxa

The first segment of the leg of an insect, attaching the leg to the body, and connected to the trochanter. Plural: coxae.

 

Femur

On insects and arachnids, the third, largest, most robust segment of the leg, coming immediately before the tibia. On humans, the thigh bone.

 

Ovipositor

A tube-like organ near the end of the abdomen of many female insects, used to prepare a place for an egg and to place the egg.

 

Petiole

On plants: The stalk of a leaf blade or a compound leaf that attaches it to the stem. On ants and wasps: The constricted first one or two segments of the rear part of the body.

 

Stigma

In plants, the portion of the female part of the flower that is receptive to pollen. In Lepidoptera, an area of specialized scent scales on the forewing of some skippers, hairstreaks, and moths. In other insects, a thickened, dark, or opaque cell on the leading edge of the wing.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
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Alfredo Colon

 
    torymid wasp (Family Torymidae)   torymid wasp (Family Torymidae)  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

 

 
           

 

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Slideshows
 
Torymidae
Rui Andrade
  Torymidae  
Hymenoptera/Torymidae
Christophe Quintin
  Hymenoptera/Torymidae  

 

slideshow

       
 
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  Alfredo Colon
8/5/2019

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

torymid wasp (Family Torymidae)

 
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

 

 

 

 

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Created: 9/28/2022

Last Updated:

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