The Braconinae are a large subfamily of

braconid The Braconidae are a family of parasitoid wasps. After the closely related Ichneumonidae, braconids make up the second-largest family in the order Hymenoptera, with about 17,000 recognized species and many thousands more undescribed. One analysis ...

parasitoid wasp Parasitoid wasps are a large group of hymenopteran Superfamily (zoology), superfamilies, with all but the wood wasps (Orussoidea) being in the wasp-waisted Apocrita. As parasitoids, they lay their eggs on or in the bodies of other arthropods, ...

s with more than 2,000 described species.Wharton, Robert A.; Marsh, Paul M.; Sharkey, Michael J. (1997)
''Manual of the New World Genera of the Family Braconidae (Hymenoptera)''
(PDF). Washington DC: The International Society of Hymenopterists. Many species, including ''Bracon brevicornis'', have been used in

biocontrol Biological control or biocontrol is a method of pest control, controlling pests, whether pest animals such as insects and mites, weeds, or pathogens affecting animals or phytopathology, plants by bioeffector, using other organisms. It relies o ...

programs.

Description and distribution

Braconines are small to medium sized wasps. Many are dark in color, but they can be red, orange, or pale. They have cyclostome mouthparts and females usually have a long

ovipositor The ovipositor is a tube-like organ used by some animals, especially insects, for the laying of eggs. In insects, an ovipositor consists of a maximum of three pairs of appendages. The details and morphology of the ovipositor vary, but typica ...

. They are found worldwide, but are most diverse in the

Paleotropical The Paleotropical kingdom (Paleotropis) is a floristic kingdom composed of the tropical areas of Africa, Asia and Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand), as proposed by Ronald Good and Armen Takhtajan. Part of its flora is inherited fr ...

region.

Biology

Braconines are idiobiont ectoparasitoids of concealed

larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...

e. The hosts of most species are

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organ ...

Coleoptera Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...

, with a few attacking

Diptera Flies are insects of the order Diptera, the name being derived from the Greek δι- ''di-'' "two", and πτερόν ''pteron'' "wing". Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwings having evolved into advance ...

Symphyta Sawflies are wasp-like insects that are in the suborder Symphyta within the order Hymenoptera, alongside ants, bees, and wasps. The common name comes from the saw-like appearance of the ovipositor, which the females use to cut into the plants ...

. Usually, they paralyze the host with venom before laying one or more (depending on the species) large eggs on the host's exterior.

Tribes

* Adeshini * Aphrastobraconini * Argamaniini * Bathyaulacini * Braconini * Coeloidini * Euurobraconini * Glyptomorphini * Gnathobraconini * Physaraiini * Rhammurini * Vaepellini

References

External links

* * * * Photos a
BugGuide.net
* DNA barcodes a
BOLD Systems
Apocrita subfamilies Taxa named by Christian Gottfried Daniel Nees von Esenbeck {{Ichneumonoidea-stub