Heteropelma is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae.[1] Species in this genus are around 25 mm in length.[2]
Heteropelma adults lay their eggs inside Lepidopteran larvae (i.e. caterpillars) by piercing them with their ovipositor. Heteropelma eggs consist of an equatorial disc and a caudal stalk, making them look a bit like the cartoon oil lamp from Aladdin. It's thought that the shape is adapted to attach the egg to the inside of the caterpillar's integument.[3] Once the eggs hatch, the larvae consume the caterpillar from the inside. They emerge from the deceased caterpillar as adults.[2]
Heteropelma is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. Species in this genus are around 25 mm in length.
