Cratichneumon culex

Cratichneumon culex is a species of the parasitic wasp of the family Ichneumonidae. The species was first described by Müller in 1776.[2]

Cratichneumon culex
Adult
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Subphylum:
Hexapoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Hymenoptera
Suborder:
Apocrita
Superfamily:
Ichneumonoidea
Family:
Ichneumonidae
Subfamily:
Ichneumoninae
Genus:
Cratichneumon
Species:
C. culex
Binomial name
Cratichneumon culex
(Müller, 1776)
Synonyms[1]

Description
Museum specimen

Cratichneumon culex can reach a length of 15–16 mm (0.59–0.63 in) (excluding antennae).[3] As usual in Incheumonidae these solitary parasitic wasps have an elongated abdomen and very long antennae. The body is black, while the legs are reddish or reddish with white markings and the antennae are partially white.

Distribution and habitat

This species can be found in most of Europe. [4] It lives in hedge rows.

Biology

This species is a pupal parasitoid. Adults parasite the pupae of the winter moth Operophtera brumata. Other recorded hosts are Semiothisa species and Bupalus piniarius (Geometridae), Tethea or (Drepanidae), Notodonta dromedarius (Notodontidae), Dasychira pudibunda (Lymantridae) and Panolis flammea (Noctuidae).[5] These wasps are mainly active in the late summer. They search for their prey in the soil. The females lay eggs into pupae with the ovipositor.[6][7][8]

References
  1. "Cratichneumon culex (Muller, 1776)". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  2. " Cratichneumon culex (Müller, 1776) ". BioLib.cz. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  3. Les insectes (in French)
  4. "Cratichneumon culex (Muller, 1776)". Fauna Europaea. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  5. Aliyev, Azer Abulfaz Oghlu "Fauna of the Subfamily Ichneumoninae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) of Azerbaijan With New Records"
  6. Savill, Peter; Perrins, Christopher; Kirby, Keith & Fishers, Nigel Wytham Woods: Oxford's Ecological Laboratory
  7. Huffaker, C. Biological Control: Proceedings of an AAAS Symposium on Biological Control
  8. Hausmann, Axel & Viidalepp, Jaan Larentinae I


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