Monarch Chrysalis Parasitized by Chalcid Wasps

bugman

August 26th, 2008 at 12:00 am

Tags

food chain

Parasitic invasion of chrysalis
A friend gave me a beautiful chrysalis yesterday to watch and photograph. This morning the container to swarming with little flying insects. I moved it outside and found two holes in the chrysalis that the bugs were emerging from. What are the flying insects, and have they probably attacked whatever moth or butterfly was forming in the coccoon? Thank you very much for any information.
Cindy Donegan

Hi Cindy,
Your distinctive Monarch Butterfly Chrysalis has been parasitized by minute Chalcid Wasps. According to BugGuide, there are over 2200 North American species, but since you did not provide us with a location, there may be more or less where you made this observation. BugGuide also states: “They are used as pest controls because they parasitize mainly the orders that contain many common pests: Lepidoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera and Homoptera.”

Gulf Fritillary Caterpillar and Parasitized Chrysalis (May 17, 2008)
Scelionidae (not Chalcid) Wasp emerges from Parasitized Eggs (April 27, 2007)
Monarch Butterfly Chrysalis (September 20, 2007)
Monarch Chrysalis (August 11, 2006)
Chalcid Wasp emerges from Parasitized Eggs (April 27, 2007)