CUCKOO WASP SP.
Chrysis sp.
CUCKOO WASP FAMILY (Chrysididae)
This little cuckoo wasp is .25 to .50 inch long. It is bright, metallic green all over with black eyes. A distinguishing characteristic of wasps in the Chrysis genus is the presence of 4 to 6 “teeth” at the hind end of the abdomen.
The frequency of occurrence of this Chrysis wasp is not known. The individual shown here was photographed in Fontenelle Forest in mid August 2012.
The Chrysis genus is very large and complex with 77 species in North America, and includes most of the species of cuckoo wasps in North America. Wasps in this genus are nest parasites of bees and wasps in the families Crabronidae, Sphecidae, Megachilidae, Anthophoridae, as well as solitary Vespids (Eumeninae).
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