Parasitic Brachonid wasp

[goosey]

In May 2007 I found this, what I thought at the time was some sort of egg in the ivy , there was just a single specimen there but I found a few more mainly in the Viburnum Dawn.
After a bit of asking around I found that it is actually an aphid which has been attacked by a parasitic Brachonid wasp! The wasp then injected an egg into it. While the parasitic larva devoured the aphid from inside the aphid carried on feeding. When the larva is mature, it creates the parchment like structure to enclose a cocoon. The adult wasp will emerge from this in a week or so. I find this totally fascinating - cruel but fascinating!

[Laurence Clemons]

The parasitoid is possibly of a closely-related hymenopterous family the Aphidiiidae; Aphidius species are widely used in horticulture to control aphids in greenhouses etc.

[goosey]

Originally Posted by Laurence Clemons

The parasitoid is possibly of a closely-related hymenopterous family the Aphidiiidae; Aphidius species are widely used in horticulture to control aphids in greenhouses etc.

Hi Laurence - do you think that is more likely then? I went by another website at the time, and was sure mine was the same.
Welcome .

[paul m]

I have no idea but a couple of points.
Aphodius sp tend to predate the aphids directly leaving 'mummies' without these coccoons ... I think ....

We should, really, be clear about using the terms 'parasite' and 'parasitoid' .. and I admit that I sometimes use 'parasitic behaviour' rather than 'parasitoidal behaviour' myself. Sorry

True parasites do not (usually) kill their hosts. They live off of the host's ingested food, its blood, flesh but if their host dies then so do they - they're just in it for a percentage. Parasitoids are actually predators which live part of their lives within their host's body but almost invariably (around 99.99% of the time) will kill the host.