Alomyinae

Description

Alomyinae contains two genera, with only Alomya occurring in Europe. Alomya superficially resemble some Ichneumonines but is readily recognized by several unique characters. In females the vertex is strikingly long and the proboscial fossa is unusually narrow (genae almost meeting behind the mandibles). Both sexes have large mandibles with blunt teeth (lower tooth larger and longer than upper in females, mandible often unidentate in males) and a strongly truncate clypeus with long erect golden setae. Gastocoeli and thyridiae are absent. Forewing with 2m-cu meeting with the pentagonal areolet in its distal half, nervellus reclivious. The habitatus is usually enough for identification (cubic head, general shape).

Ecology

All species are parasitoids of moths in the family Hepialidae. Females enter the tunnel of the host, ovipositing a single egg just behind its mouthparts. The moth larva is known to respond with aggression, sometimes causing Alomya females to lose antennae in the ordeal. Instead of pupating, the attacked host’s cuticle will harden, forming a structure known as a “mummy,” from which the adult wasp emerges months later.

Females are rarely seen. Males however are regularly spotted feeding on umbellifers or flying over low vegetation.

Distribution

Alomya is the only European genus, with the poorly understood Megalomya being restricted to the eastern Palearctic. Three species are known to occur in northern Europe.

References

Broad, G. R., Shaw, M. R., & Fitton, M. G. (2018). Handbooks for the identification of British insects Vol. 7, part 12 Ichneumonid wasps : (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae): their classification and biology. Royal Entomological Society of London

Bauer, R. (1966). "Die Gattung Alomya Panzer (Hymenoptera Ichneumonidae)." Nachrichtenblatt der Bayerischen Entomologen 15, 124–127.

SLU Artdatabanken (2024). Artfakta: Alomyinae. https://artfakta.se/taxa/1015814 [2024-07-13]

Finlands Artdatacenter (2024). LAJI.FI: Alomyinae. https://laji.fi/sv/taxon/MX.310750 [2024-07-13]

BugWeb

Alomyinae

Keys

Northern European species

Gallery

References