This Braconid Wasp is about 1/4 inch long. The head is red with black eyes and a black spot on top. The thorax is shiny black. The abdomen is brown. The legs and antennae are tan colored. The wings are clear. The vertex of the head has a distinct shape. The mandible is truncated and outwardly curving.
The frequency of occurrence at Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods is not known. The individual shown here was photographed in Fontenelle Forest in mid May 2013.
This wasp is in the Alysiinae subfamily. These wasps are parasitoids of flies. Wasps in this subfamily have the specialized mandibles for digging out of the tough fly puparium of the host after emergence from their own pupae (Joseph Fortier, Bugguide).
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