Torymus bedeguaris

The female Torymus bedeguaris wasp measures 2.2 to5.3 mm, with an average of 4.0mm excluding ovipositor which is actually longer than her body. The male is slightly smaller at 1.8 to 4 mm. It is an attractive insect with metallic green thorax and bronzy red or green abdomen. Legs are a dull milky yellow colour.

Visits the galls of Cynipid wasps and also feeds on flowers such as Tansy.

Late summer.

The ovipositor is so long that when the female Torymus bedeguaris lands on the gall, she can push it through the gall to deposit her eggs inside. When these hatch her larvae will parisitise the larvae of the cynipid wasps.

Thought to be frequent and widespread in Britain, but badly under recorded.

Thought to be fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland, but under recorded.