Common hover fly parasitoid wasp

Forests and Woodlands, Grasslands and Prairies, Urban and Suburban Areas, Agricultural and Cultivated Areas, Rotting and Decaying Matter, On and Within Other Organisms (Parasitic and Symbiotic Relationships)

Forests and Woodlands, Grasslands and Prairies, Urban and Suburban Areas, Agricultural and Cultivated Areas

Since common hover fly parasitoid wasp are parasitoids, there is no direct food bait for trapping them. However, people looking for common hover fly parasitoid wasp may use the presence of host insects which common hover fly parasitoid wasp parasitize as an indirect way to attract them.

The eggs of common hover fly parasitoid wasp are primarily laid inside the larvae of other insects, so searching for these would involve locating host larvae, typically on plants, in soil, or on dead wood. Larvae of common hover fly parasitoid wasp are endoparasitic and develop within their host, hence finding them requires detecting parasitized larvae, often appearing swollen or discolored. Pupae may be inside or near the remains of their host. Adults inhabit woodlands and gardens, where they are frequently spotted on leaves or flying around in search of mates and hosts. To encounter adults, one should inspect flowers and foliage during warm, sunny weather.

The most suitable time to find common hover fly parasitoid wasp would be during their active periods, which depend on the climatic conditions and availability of host insects, often during warmer months or daytime when temperatures are suitable for their activity.