Exochus

Taxonomy

Exochus dorsalis belongs to the family Ichneumonidae within the subfamily Metopiinae. This species of Ichneumon wasp is characterized by their robust bodies, stout and rounded legs, elongated antennae, and often cryptic coloration. The geographic range of the wasp genus Exochus dorsalis spans across various regions worldwide. These wasps are found in North America, Europe and Asia. We only had one Exochus dorsalis in the Bee Atlas project. It emerged from a block located in Hennepin County in 2017.

Description

Exochus dorsalis is one of the smaller wasps in the subfamily Metopiinae, ranging from 5 to 10mm. They have a bulging face and with no groove between the face and clypeus. The upper portion of the face forms a triangular process that extends between the antennae. They have stout, robust legs and generally have short ovipositors. Like many other species, they have black-brown bodies and orange legs. 

Nest Structure

The nesting habits of Ichneumon wasps in the genus Exochus dorsalis involve parasitizing the larvae of other insects. The Exochus dorsalis in the Bee Atlas project emerged from a nest made by a small resin wasp in the family Crabronidae.

Hole Sizes

No information at this time.

Voltinism

This species appears to be univoltine throughout its range, completing one generation per year in Minnesota. 

Activity Period

No information at this time.

References

Discover Life. 2024. "Ichneumonidae." In Proceedings of the Ecological Society of America, vol. 6. Accessed May 17, 2024. https://www.discoverlife.org/proceedings/0000/6/html/Ichneumonidae.html

Townes, H. 1969. The genera of Ichneumonidae, part 1. Anz. Schädlingskd. 42(7): 110-110.

Townes, H., & Townes, M. 1959. Ichneumon-flies of America North of Mexico pt. 1: Subfamily Metopiinae. Bull. U.S. Natl. Mus.

Thank you to John Luhman for identifying all of our Ichneumonid specimens.