A critical issue surrounding a wide range of fly pests has been solved through the production of Spalangia wasps. Wasps overall are known scientifically as Vespula vulgaris. The scientific name for this current wasp species although is Spalangia endius. They are typically found in regions including the United Kingdom, Germany, India, China, New Zealand, and Australia. Although there are current studies that indicate the Spalangia wasp is of a different species, they are closely related to the common wasp. There are multiple sister taxon’s of common wasps. The classifications associated with the Spalangia wasps are as follows.
Kingdom
● Animalia
Class
● Insecta
Order
● Hymenoptera
Family
● Vespidae
Genus
● Vespula
These wasps are not easily identified, but their marks are. Their coloring varies from a pale yellow to green. They are tiny in size, but the brown disc shaped gall produced on the underside of oak leaves, are not. Their habitats include grassland, farmland, woodland, and moorland areas — anywhere with oak. A single leaf can host up to 100 galls, which all contain a single larva. The larvae developes through the winter, then emerges in spring. The overall life history of the wasps is very interesting. As mentioned, the insects emerge in April. After mating the fertilized eggs are laid by the sexual generations. This happens on the lower epidermis of Oak leaves. This process continues as the wasps develop over the winter, once again.
References: https://bugsforbugs.com.au/product/spalangia/
