Olesicampe

Taxonomy

Wasps in the genus Olesicampe are parasitic wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae and the subfamily Campopleginae. "Olesis" likely comes from the Greek word meaning "destruction" or "ruin.” "Campe" meaning "caterpillar.” Therefore, "Olesicampe" may roughly translate to "destructive caterpillar," possibly indicating its role as a parasitic wasp targeting caterpillars or larvae. This genus is distributed worldwide, with most species in the Holarctic range. In North America, there are ~36 species found. Currently, the MN Bee Atlas was unable to identify our Olesicampe specimens to the species level.  We only had one Olesicampe sp. in the Bee Atlas project. It emerged from a block located in Winona County in 2017.

Description

The genus Olesicampe displays a notable variation in size and coloration. Different species can range in size from 5 to 15mm. Species commonly exhibit hues ranging from deep black to shades of brown and yellow. This variation often extends to intricate patterns on their bodies, including stripes, spots, or mottling, which serve as effective camouflage within their diverse habitats. Anatomically, Olesicampe species are characterized by their slender bodies and elongated antennae, which can be as long as or even longer than their bodies. Females of the genus possess a remarkable feature: an elongated and often curved ovipositor, which is utilized for depositing eggs into host insects. This ovipositor is a defining trait of the genus and varies in length and curvature among species. Additionally, the wings of Olesicampe wasps feature intricate venation patterns, which are important for taxonomic identification and can vary subtly between species. 

Nest Structure

Like most Ichneumonids, Olesicampe species do not build their own nests and instead parasitize nests that are created by other insects. Olesicampe species are particularly known to parasitize sawfly larvae. No insect host emerged from the Bee Atlas nest which produced the Olesicampe sp.

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

BugGuide. 2009. Species Olesicampe benefactor - BugGuide.Net. Accessed on May 30, 2024. Available online: https://bugguide.net/node/view/349682.

Discover Life. 2024. "Ichneumonidae." In Proceedings of the Ecological Society of America, vol. 6. Accessed May 30, 2024. https://www.discoverlife.org/proceedings/0000/6/html/Ichneumonidae.html

Huang, Rui-Fen, et al. 2023. Two new species of Olesicampe Förster (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) with a key to species known from China and Oriental Region. Zootaxa 5258(5): 583-592.

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