Ichneumon Wasps

Dr. Charles C. Porter compiled this list from his long-term studies in the NATL woods.
Because ichneumons are a very large group of mostly inconspicuous parasitoid wasps, they have no vernacular names. In addition to the scientific name of each species, the host(s) that the species attacks is listed. Dr. Porter is currently a Research Associate with the Florida State Collection of Arthropods. He received his PhD from Harvard in 1967 and was Professor of Biology at Fordham University, 1972–1993. His research interests are the taxonomy and ecology of Hymenoptera (esp. Ichneumonidae) in the New World.

Scientific name	Host(s)
Subfamily Ephialtinae
Tribe Pimplini
Calliephialtes grapholithae	Caterpillars in galls, nuts, burrows, cases
Iseropus coelebs	Cocoons of Malacosoma, Hemerocampa, etc.
Tromatobia rufopectus	Egg sacs of spiders: Argiope, Araneus
Zaglyptus varipes incompletus	Spider egg sacs
Tribe Polysphinctini
Acrotaphus wiltii	Argiopid spiders
Tribe Ephialtini
Itoplectis conquisitor	Vast range of exposed or semi-exposed lepidopterous prepupae/pupae
Coccygomimus aequalis	Wide range of lepidopterous prepupae/pupae: e.g., Carpocapsa, Grapholitha
Coccygomimus maurus	Wide range of lepidopterous prepupae/pupae: e.g., Hemerocampa, Orgyia
Tribe Theroniini
Theronia hilaris	Unknown
Neotheronia bicincta floridana	Unknown
Neotheronia septemtrionalis	Unknown
Tribe Poemeniini
Poemenia albipes	Appears to attack hosts in dead wood
Podoschistus vittifrons	Coleopterous borers in dead deciduous trees
Tribe Rhyssini
Rhyssella new species	Xiphydriid larvae in dead deciduous trees
Megarhyssa atrata atrata	Siricid larvae (Tremex, Eriotremex?) in dead deciduous trees
Megarhyssa greenei floridana	Siricid larvae (Tremex, Eriotremex?) in dead deciduous trees
Megarhyssa macrurus macrurus	Siricid larvae (Tremex, Eriotremex?) in dead deciduous trees
Subfamily Tryphoninae
Tribe Phytodietini
Netelia spp.	Larger exposed Lepidoptera larvae
Phytodietus rubellus	Smaller exposed Lepidoptera larvae
Tribe Oedimopsini
Campothreptus nasutus	Unknown
Tribe Tryphonini
Polyblastus pedalis	Sawfly larvae: Croesus, Cladus, Apareophora
Erromenus sp.	Nematine sawfly larvae
Tribe Cteniscini
Cteniscus sp.	Nematine sawfly larvae
Tribe Idiogrammatini
Idiogramma sp.	Larvae of Xyela (Symphyta: Xyelidae) in staminate cones of pines
Subfamily Brachycyrtinae
Brachycyrtus pretiosus	Prepupae/pupae of chrysopid Neuroptera
Subfamily Labeninae
Labena grallator grallator	Xylophagous beetle larvae
Subfamily Xoridinae
Odontocolon albotibiale	Xylophagous larvae
Odontocolon ochropus	Unknown, but certainly wood borers (prob. Coleoptera)
Xorides (Exomus) humeralis piceatus	Xylophagous beetle larvae
Xorides (Xorides) rileyi	Unknown
Xorides (Xorides) stigmapterus floridanus	Unknown
Subfamily Gelinae
Tribe Gelini
Chirotica sp.	Psychid Lepidoptera
Polyaulon sp.	Unknown
Mastrus sp.	Cocoons of Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and of other Hymenoptera
Endasys patulus	Sawfly cocoons
Endasys rotundiceps	Unknown
Endasys subclavatus	Unknown
Endasys tyloidiphorus	Unknown
Endasys aurarius	Unknown
Phygadeuon sp.	Cyclorrhaphous fly pupae
Dichrogaster sp.	Chrysopid cocoons
Gelis sp.	In cocoons, sacs of Lepidoptera, ichneumonids, braconids, chrysopids, spiders
Tribe Mesostenini
Agrothereutes lophyri	Sawfly and Lepidoptera cocoons
Gambrus ultimus	Mostly Lepidoptera but some sawfly cocoons
Gambrus polyphemi	Unknown
Gambrus extrematis	Unknown
Gambrus bituminosus	Unknown
Aritranis affabilis	Borers in stems, twigs, grass culms: Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera including tenthredinids, cephids, eumenids, Ceratina
Aritranis nubecula	Unknown
Ischnus cinctipes	Lepidoptera pupae
Ischnus laurae	Unknown
Baryceros audax	Cocoons of eucleid moths
Baryceros candidus	Unknown
Baryceros texanus	Unknown
Mesostenus thoracicus	Lepidoptera cocoons: thin, frass or debris-covered, or in short tunnels
Mesostenus eisenii	Unknown
Cryptanura banchiformis	Unknown
Polycyrtus neglectus	Lepidoptera: Diaphania hyalinata
Diapetimorpha brunnea	Presumably Lepidoptera prepupae/pupae
Diapetimorpha macula confederata	Unknown
Diapetimorpha introita	Unknown
Diapetimorpha rufigaster	Unknown
Diapetimorpha acadia	Unknown
Lymeon cinctiventris	Cocoons of Lepidoptera, chrysopids, and spider egg cocoons
Lymeon orbus	Unknown
Polycyrtidea floridana	Lepidopterous pupae
Mallochia new species #1	Unknown
Mallochia new species #2	Unknown
Pachysomoides fulvus	Polistes larvae, fuscatus group
Pachysomoides stupidus	Polistes larvae, canadensis group
Acerastes pertinax	Unknown
Listrognathus nubilipennis	Unknown
Listrognathus glomerata	Unknown
Listrognathus rufitibialis	Unknown
Listrognathus (Fenestula) paludata	Unknown
Messatoporus rufiventris	Aculeate Hymenoptera nests, esp. Pompilidae (Auplopus and Phanagenia)
Messatoporus discoidalis	Unknown
Messatoporus compressicornis	Unknown
Agonocryptus discoidaloides	Coleoptera and Lepidoptera borers in twigs and branches of woody plants
Subfamily Banchinae
Tribe Glyptini
Sphelodon phoxopteridis	Small Lepidoptera: Grapholitha, Choristoneura, etc
Glypta rufiscutellaris	Lepidoptera larvae in concealed in leaf rolls or buds
Tribe Lissonotini
Lissonota spp.	Concealed Lepidoptera larvae
Syzeuctus laminatus floridanus	Concealed Lepidoptera larvae
Eudeleboea brachydocis	Concealed Lepidoptera larvae
Tribe Banchini
Ceratogastra ornata	Noctuid lepidoptera larvae in composite florets/heads
Banchus cressonii	Medium large lepidoptera larvae, esp. noctuids
Subfamily Scolobatinae
Tribe Ctenopelmatini
Ctenopelma new species	Probably pamphiliid sawfly larvae
Xenoschesis (Polycinetis) sp.	Typical subgenus reared from pamphiliid larvae
Tribe Pionini
Sympherta sp.	Unknown
Tribe Mesoleiini
Alexeter sp.	Unknown
Himerta leucofacia	Cimbicid sawfly larvae in genus Zaraea
Tribe Euryproctini
Phobetes sp.	Sawfly larvae: e.g., Ametastegia
Hyperallus caliroae sp.	Sawfly larvae: Caliroa on Quercus oak
Subfamily Porizontinae
Casinaria grandis (= texana)	Exposed large Lepidoptera larvae: e.g., Sibine stimulea
Casinaria spp.	Exposed large Lepidoptera larvae
Venturia spp.	Concealed microlepidoptera larvae
Rhimphoctona sp.	Beetle larvae under bark: cerambycids
Bathyplectes sp.	Weevil larvae: e.g., Hypera
Campoletis sp.	Immature Lepidoptera larvae: noctuids
Dusona spp.	Exposed Lepidoptera larvae, esp. geometrids
Diadegma spp.	Small/medium Lepidoptera larvae
Hyposoter spp.	Small, exposed Lepidoptera larvae
Echthronomas (probably ochreofrons ochreofrons)	Lepidoptera larvae: e.g., Tigrioides, Crambidia
Subfamily Thersilochinae
Allophroides sp.	Larvae of xyelid sawflies
Probles sp.	Unknown
Stethantyx nearctica	Unknown
Diaparsis sp.	Unknown
Subfamily Ophioninae
Thyreodon atricolor atricolor	Sphingid larvae
Enicospilus peigleri	Medium, large Lepidoptera larvae
Enicospilus flavus	Medium, large Lepidoptera larvae
Enicospilus glabratus	Medium, large Lepidoptera larvae
Enicospilus dispilus	Medium, large Lepidoptera larvae
Enicospilus doylei	Medium, large Lepidoptera larvae
Enicospilus americanus	Medium, large Lepidoptera larvae
Enicospilus spp.	Medium, large Lepidoptera larvae
Subfamily Mesochorinae
Mesochorus spp.	Other ichneumonids, braconids, even tachinid Diptera, which are themselves primary parasites on Lepidoptera, symphytan Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, and even mirid Hemiptera
Subfamily Metopiinae
Metopius (Peltales) notatus	Lepidoptera: e.g., Gluphisia, Actias, and Acronicta
Colpotrochia fultoni	Unknown
Leurus caeruliventris borealis	Unknown
Subfamily Anomalinae
Tribe Anomalini
Anomalon ejuncidum	Coleoptera, Lepidoptera larvae
Tribe Gravenhorstiini
Agrypon prismaticum	Diverse Lepidoptera larvae
Agrypon alpinum	Unknown
Agrypon dioryctiae	Unknown
Ophiopterus cincticornis	Unknown
Ophionellus bridwelli	Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae, Oecophoridae, Olethreutidae, Plutellidae, Tortricidae
Therion texanum	Larger exposed Lepidoptera larvae: e.g., Arctiidae, Noctuidae, Notodontidae
Therion new species	Unknown
Heteroplema datanae	Datana (Notodontidae-this species), other species on Lepidoptera larvae in Noctuoidea, Geometroidea, and Sphingoidea
Subfamily Acaenitinae
Spilopteron formosum	Xylophagous beetle larvae: cerambycids
Spilopteron occiputale	Xylophagous beetle larvae: cerambycids
Spilopteron new species	Xylophagous beetle larvae: cerambycids
Subfamily Helictinae
Gnathochorisis austrinus	Unknown
Megastylus caseyi	Diptera larvae: e.g., Orfelia
Subfamily Ichneumoninae
Tribe Ichneumonini
Protichneumon grandis	Sphingid Lepidoptera
Ichneumon azotus	Many families of moths
Ichneumon magniscopa	Many families of moths
Ichneumon pulcher	Many families of moths
Ichneumon punctifer	Many families of moths
Ichneumon viola	Many families of moths
Pterocormus weemsi	Many Lepidoptera families, esp. noctuids & arctiids
Orgichneumon calcatorius	Lepidoptera: e.g., Heterocampa
Trogomorpha trogiformis	Lepidoptera: e.g., hesperiids
Protopelmus atrocoeruleus	Arctiid moths in genus Ecpantheria
Tricholabus adventicus	Noctuids
Setanta compta	Unknown
Netanyacra leucopus	Lacinipolia (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae)
Cratichneumon variegatus	Lepidoptera: e.g., Citheroniidae, Noctuidae, Notodontidae
Cratichneumon fuscovariegatus	Lepidoptera: e.g., Citheroniidae, Noctuidae, Notodontidae
Cratichneumon pseudanisotae	Lepidoptera: e.g., Citheroniidae, Noctuidae, Notodontidae
Cratichneumon vinnulus	Lepidoptera: e.g., Citheroniidae, Noctuidae, Notodontidae
Cratichneumon proximus	Lepidoptera: e.g., Citheroniidae, Noctuidae, Notodontidae
Cratichneumon paraparatus	Lepidoptera: e.g., Citheroniidae, Noctuidae, Notodontidae
Cratichneumon paratus pseudovinnulus	Lepidoptera: e.g., Citheroniidae, Noctuidae, Notodontidae
Cratichneumon floridensis	Lepidoptera: e.g., Citheroniidae, Noctuidae, Notodontidae
Cratichneumon flavipectus mississippi	Lepidoptera: e.g., Citheroniidae, Noctuidae, Notodontidae
Barichneumon libens	Smaller Lepidoptera: e.g., Pyralidae
Barichneumon neosorex	Smaller Lepidoptera: e.g., Pyralidae
Barichneumon archboldi	Smaller Lepidoptera: e.g., Pyralidae
Barichneumon peramoenus calliandros	Smaller Lepidoptera: e.g., Pyralidae
Barichneumon carolinensis	Smaller Lepidoptera: e.g., Pyralidae
Virgichneumon zebratus	Geometrid Lepidoptera
Melanichneumon disparilis flavidops	Lepidoptera: Protoboarmia, Coryphista
Melanichneumon dreisbachi	Unknown
Melanichneumon heiligbrodtii	Unknown
Melanichneumon honestus milleri	Unknown
Limonethe maurator	Unknown
Carinodes havanensis	Lepidoptera
Tribe Trogini
Gnamptopelta obsidianator obsidianator	Sphingid Lepidoptera larvae on Vitis
Gnamptopelta obsidianator austrina	Sphingid Lepidoptera larvae on Vitis
Tricyphus elegans	Sphingid Lepidoptera larvae: e.g., Ampeloeca
Trogus pennator	Papilionid and occasionally nymphalid Lepidoptera
Tribe Platylabini
Platylabus clarus	Lepidoptera, almost exclusively geometrids