Braconidae? sp.

Pliocene

Rita Blanca Formation

Oldham County, TX USA.

5mm on 39mm slab.

Braconidae is a family of parasitoid wasps.  The ovipositor of the female of these wasps is often quite long not only for laying eggs but for piercing the body of a host insect from a distance (to avoid the defense spines or irritant-injecting hairs of caterpillars).

This specimen resembles a braconid wasp but we can’t say for sure.