Brasema rhadinosa
This record describes Brasema rhadinosa (species). Recorded family: Eupelmidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Females of this species are quite easily recognized in the genus based on their elongate-slender habitus and a forewing that has a longitudinal infuscate band (just visible in image). -- Gary Gibson The species is quite common and widespread, extending from at least as far south as Costa Rica north throughout the USA into southernmost Canada. Nothing is known for sure about its hosts. It has been reported once as a parasite of the southern pine beetle, but I suspect this is erroneous and the real hosts are the eggs of Orthoptera and/or Mantodea. Males are not associated with females because in the subfamily Eupelminae there is extreme sexual dimorphism and males look nothing like females. Really need to rear the species to associate the sexes. Female eupelmines are also renowned for their jumping ability. One name that was coined was back-rolling wonders (because they tend to tumble on landing and when killed often die in a strongly contorted U-shape, which results because of how they jump). Various eupelmine females are mimics of other insects, particularly ants. … Gary Gibson
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
- Superfamily
- Chalcidoidea
- Family
- Eupelmidae
- Subfamily
- Eupelminae
- Genus
- Brasema
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Brasema rhadinosa Gibson (1995)
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Brasema rhadinosa. 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 Brasema rhadinosa (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by John R. Maxwell; Additional contributions by Vox Sciurorum