Wasp Identification - Ask Extension
Wondering if someone could help confirm identity of this tiny wasp like insect. Seems to hop and has cricket like hind legs(picture #2 under microscop...
Knowledgebase
Wasp Identification #837380
Asked June 24, 2023, 8:35 PM EDT
Wondering if someone could help confirm identity of this tiny wasp like insect. Seems to hop and has cricket like hind legs(picture #2 under microscope). I found a dozen today above sliding glass door in my house. Thanks in advance.
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
We agree this looks like a wasp, but since there are hundreds of wasp species in Maryland, it often takes magnified examination of wing vein arrangement and other body structures to determine what genus/species an individual belongs to. Unfortunately we do not currently have an entomologist at HGIC who can examine samples. One guess based on leg structure is the wasp family Chalcididae. One local species in that group, for example, uses flies (including house flies) and moths as hosts for their larvae, so perhaps this group of wasps emerged from prey they had parasitized such as prey inhabiting a wall void or crawl space. Otherwise, maybe they accidentally got inside and are only trying to find their way out by looking for light sources (like window light from the glass door). Despite being a wasp, they will not bother people and won't sting, and can be carefully caught and released outside.
Miri
Miri