Ooctonus vulgatus

Ooctonus vulgatus

Description

Ooctonus vulgatus is a tiny (1.5-2mm) parasitoid wasp, one of the large family of Fairy Wasps (Mymaridae) characterized by the following unique combination of features: 

  • Posterior scutellum mostly smooth except for a weak, often inconspicuous sculpture at lateral borders and sometimes also at anterior margin
  • propodeum with median carina absent or very short (relatively longer in very large specimens), thus the median areole large, extending or almost extending to anterior margin of propodeum
  • petiole short, 0.9–1.2x as long as metacoxa. 
Similar Species

Very similar to O. silvensis, which has F2 of the female antenna notably shorter than F1 and about as long or slightly shorter than F3, and also generally darker legs, particularly meso- and metafemora and meso- and metatibiae.

Identification difficulty
Recording advice

Unless identified by a recognized expert, requires microscopic examination and photos of key ID features. 

Habitat

Widespread. 

When to see it

All year. 

Life History

A very common parasitoid of the Common Froghopper, Philaenus spumarius.

UK Status

Common (the most frequently-occurring member of this genus) but rarely recorded due to small size and identification difficulty. 

VC55 Status

Unknown. 

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Additional images

All NatureSpot records