Apsilops hirtifrons
This record describes Apsilops hirtifrons (species). Recorded family: Ichneumonidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Per Judd, 1953: Apsilops hirtifrons (Ashm.).-One wasp emerged in Cage 4 on August 9. Hart (1896), referring to the species as Cryptus cyaneiventris Riley, reports that in Illinois it was common in July on floating leaves of Potamogeton natans , associated with Hydrocampa (i.e. Nymphula ) obliteralis and was constantly present in August about the spot where the largest number of the Hydrocampa occurred. Cushman (1933) referred to this wasp as Trichocryptus hirtifrons (Ashmead) and said that Hart was the first actually to see the adult insects crawling under water. In the Dundas Marsh the wasp is probably a parasite on larvae of one of the pyralid moths. The commonest species of Nymphula in the marsh was N . obliteralis (Table 1) and it was with this species that the wasp was associated in Illinois.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
- Superfamily
- Ichneumonoidea
- Family
- Ichneumonidae (Ichneumonid Wasps)
- Subfamily
- Cryptinae
- Tribe
- Cryptini
- Genus
- Apsilops
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Has been reared in association with the nymphuline crambid Synclita obliteralis .
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Apsilops hirtifrons. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Hymenoptera includes over 150,000 described species of ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Earth harbors approximately 20 quadrillion (20×10^15) ants, with a combined biomass of ~12 megatons of dry carbon - exceeding the combined biomass of all wild birds and mammals (PNAS, 2022).
Ecological role of the group
About 35% of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators. The chocolate industry, valued at over $100 billion, depends on pollinating flies and midges. Ants are the dominant soil engineers in most terrestrial ecosystems, turning more soil than earthworms in many habitats.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Pollinators contribute $235-577 billion worth of annual global food production (FAO). In the U.S., bee pollination alone benefits crops valued at $18 billion annually, and honey bees are responsible for $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Between April 2023-2024, 55.1% of managed honey bee colonies were lost. The U.S. bee population dropped from 5 million to 2.5 million.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, USDA, EPA, PNAS (2022), US Fish & Wildlife Service. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Apsilops hirtifrons (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Bob Carlson