braconid wasps
(Family Braconidae)
Overview • Description • Distribution • Taxonomy
Overview |
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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. |
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Description |
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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. |
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Distribution |
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Sources |
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| 2/4/2023 | ||||
Taxonomy |
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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 |
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Subfamily Acampsohelconinae Subfamily Agathidinae Subfamily Alysiinae Subfamily Aphidiinae (aphid mummy wasps) Subfamily Brachistinae Subfamily Braconinae Subfamily Cardiochilinae Subfamily Cenocoeliinae Subfamily Charmontinae Subfamily Cheloninae Subfamily Doryctinae Subfamily Euphorinae Subfamily Exothecinae Subfamily Gnamptodontinae Subfamily Helconinae Subfamily Histeromerinae Subfamily Homolobinae Subfamily Ichneutinae Subfamily Macrocentrinae Subfamily Mendesellinae Subfamily Meteorinae Subfamily Microgastrinae Subfamily Miracinae Subfamily Opiinae Subfamily Orgilinae Subfamily Pambolinae Subfamily Rogadinae (mummy wasps) Subfamily Rhyssalinae Subfamily Sigalphinae |
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Synonyms |
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Common Names |
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braconid wasps |
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Alfredo Colon |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Visitor Sightings |
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| Alfredo Colon 8/17/2022 |
Location: Albany, NY |
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| Alfredo Colon 8/2/2019 |
Location: Woodbury, Minnesota |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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Created: 6/8/2019
Last Updated: