Chalcid wasps are insects within the superfamily Chalcidoidea, part of the order Hymenoptera. The superfamily contains some 22,500 known species, and an estimated total diversity of more than 500,000 species, meaning the vast majority have yet to be discovered and described. The name "chalcid" is often confused with the name "chalcidid", though the latter refers strictly to one constituent family, the Chalcididae, rather than the superfamily as a whole; accordingly, most recent publications (e.g.,) use the name "chalcidoid" when referring to members of the superfamily.
An instar is a developmental stage of arthropods, such as insects, which occurs between each moult (ecdysis) until sexual maturity is reached. Arthropods must shed the exoskeleton in order to grow or assume a new form. Differences between instars can often be seen in altered body proportions, colors, patterns, changes in the number of body segments or head width. After shedding their exoskeleton (moulting), the juvenile arthropods continue in their life cycle until they either pupate or moult again. The instar period of growth is fixed; however, in some insects, like the salvinia stem-borer moth, the number of instars depends on early larval nutrition. Some arthropods can continue to moult after sexual maturity, but the stages between these subsequent moults are generally not called instars.
The Braconidae are a family of parasitoid wasps. After the closely related Ichneumonidae, braconids make up the second-largest family in the order Hymenoptera, with about 17,000 recognized species and many thousands more undescribed. One analysis estimated a total between 30,000 and 50,000, and another provided a narrower estimate between 42,000 and 43,000 species.
Kiggaella is a genus of hymenopteran insects belonging to the family Eulophidae. There is just one described species, Kiggaella oryzae, only known from rice paddies in Karnataka and Kerala states, India.
The Labeninae is a subfamily within the parasitoid wasp family Ichneumonidae. The family is divided into 12 extant genera grouped within four tribes.
Eupackardia is a monotypic moth genus in the family Saturniidae erected by Theodore Dru Alison Cockerell in 1912. Its only species, Eupackardia calleta, the calleta silkmoth, was described by John O. Westwood in 1853. It is found in Mexico, Guatemala, as well as in the states such as; Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.
Minotetrastichus is a genus of hymenopteran insects of the family Eulophidae. They are parasites of leaf-mining Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera.
Tetrastichinae is a subfamily of the chalcid wasp family Eulophidae. It is one of the largest subfamilies of the Eulophidae containing over 100 genera and nearly 3,000 species. The species of the family Tetrastichinae are found in almost any type of terrestrial habitat and have a worldwide distribution, except Antarctica. They show a varied biology and hosts for Tetrastichinae wasps have been identified from over 100 different insect families, across 10 different orders and they have also been recorded as being parasitoids on nematodes, mites and spiders' eggs. Some species are even phytophagous, while others are inquilines and yet others are gall formers.
Eurytoma is a genus of parasitoid chalcid wasps in the family Eurytomidae. There are at least 620 described species in Eurytoma.
Alabagrus texanus is a species of braconid wasp in the family Braconidae. It develops within the larvae of Herpetogramma theseusalis. Males emerge from pupation earlier than females. Females typically only mate once, whereas males mate more than once.
Exochus is a genus of ichneumon wasps in the family Ichneumonidae. There are at least 270 described species in Exochus.
Gasteruption assectator, the wild carrot wasp, is a species of carrot wasp in the family Gasteruptiidae. It is found in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. G. assectator is a generalist inquiline parasitoid of many other bee and wasp species such as Hylaeus confusus, Hylaeus pectoralis, and Pemphredon fabricii.
Labena grallator is a species of ichneumon wasp in the family Ichneumonidae. It is a parasitoid of wood-boring beetle larvae, including Chrysobothris femorata larvae as well as Callidiellum rufipenne pupae.
Pimpla pedalis is a species of ichneumon wasp in the family Ichneumonidae. The species is a pupal parasitoid of Iridopsis ephyraria.
Pseudochalcura gibbosa is a species of chalcid wasp in the family Eucharitidae. It is associated with ants from the Camponotus genus.
Rhyssinae is a subfamily of parasitoid wasps in the family Ichneumonidae. It contains eight genera and 259 described species, but there are likely many undiscovered species.
Sphelodon phoxopteridis is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Ichneumonidae.
Triclistus pallipes is a species of ichneumon wasp in the family Ichneumonidae. It is a parasitoid of Epermenia chaerophyllella larvae and Swammerdamia pyrella cocoons
Macroplectra nararia, the coconut slug caterpillar, is a moth of the family Limacodidae. The species was first described by Frederic Moore in 1859. It is found in Sri Lanka and India.
Agathis is a genus of braconid parasitoid wasps. This genus was established by Latreille in 1804, and the type species is Agathis malvacearum Latreille, 1805. There are at least forty six species of Agathis in the western palearctic region.
