Copidosoma cyaneum
This record describes Copidosoma cyaneum (species). Recorded family: Encyrtidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Additional details | Length 1.3–1.4mm. |
| Body | Body with metallic green, blue or violet reflections; gena violet with a median longitudinal green band; antenna brown, scape with faint green metallic reflections; mesopleuron with green metallic reflections anteriorly, purplish posteriorly; tegula brown, apically and basally sligthly paler; forewing hyaline, venation brown; legs brown, coxae with metallic reflections, joints yellowish. |
| Head | Head about 2x as wide as frontovertex; antenna with scape cylindrical, about 8 as long as broad, clava solid, ventrally concave. Mesoscutum and scutellum with similar sculpture of small, elongate, cells medially, especially so on scutellum and giving it a vaguely striate appearance; forewing wide, about 2.2 as long as broad. Gaster with ovipositor exserted, exserted part as long as mid tibial spur. Unless identified by a recognised expert, a photo is required and the specimen should be examined with a microscope. In the comments box, state the key or ID method used and describe the size and identifying characters. Guerrieri, E. & Noyes, J. Revision of the European species of Copidosoma Ratzeburg (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), parasitoids of caterpillars (Lepidoptera). Systematic Entomology, 30, 97-174. No additional images available for this species. |
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera
- Family
- Encyrtidae
- Genus
- Copidosoma
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Unknown.
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Copidosoma cyaneum. 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.
