''Ichneumon'' is a genus of

parasitic wasp Parasitoid wasps are a large group of hymenopteran 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, sooner or later causin ...

s in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Ichneumonidae The Ichneumonidae, also known as the ichneumon wasps, Darwin wasps, or ichneumonids, are a family (biology), family of parasitoid wasps of the insect order Hymenoptera. They are one of the most diverse groups within the Hymenoptera with roughly 2 ...

Selected species

This genus includes about 270 species: *''

Ichneumon eumerus ''Ichneumon eumerus'' is a species of parasitic wasp belonging to the family Ichneumonidae, subfamily Ichneumoninae. It is a specialist parasite of the larva of the mountain Alcon blue butterfly (''Phengaris rebeli''). Life cycle The life cycle ...

Wesmael Wesmael is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Alfred Wesmael (1832–1905), Belgian botanist * Elisabeth Wesmael (1861–1953), Belgian graphic artist *Constantin Wesmael Constantin Wesmael (4 October 1798, in Brussels – ...

, 1857 *'' Ichneumon extensorius''

Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...

*''

Ichneumon insidiosus ''Ichneumon insidiosus'' is a species belonging to the family Ichneumonidae subfamily Ichneumoninae. It was Species description, first described by Constantin Wesmael in 1844. Subspecies Subspecies include: * ''Ichneumon insidiosus insidiosus'' ...

, 1844 *'' Ichneumon nyassae''

Heinrich Heinrich may refer to: People * Heinrich (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Heinrich (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) *Hetty (given name), a given name (including a list of peo ...

, 1967 *'' Ichneumon rubriornatus'' Cameron, 1904 *'' Ichneumon sarcitorius''

*'' Ichneumon tottor'' Thunberg, 1822 *'' Ichneumon unicinctus'' Brullé, 1846

Cultural significance

In the eighteenth century ''Ichneumon'' was regarded as an instance of the God-given balance in nature; in the nineteenth the possibility of using it as a form of biocontrol was briefly entertained. It was used as the symbol of the reformed

Entomological Society of London The Royal Entomological Society is devoted to the study of insects. Its aims are to disseminate information about insects and improving communication between entomologists. The society was founded in 1833 as the Entomological Society of London ...

in 1833. Ichneumon laetus female.jpg, '' Ichneumon laetus'' female Ichneumon ultimus female.jpg, '' Ichneumon ultimus'' female Ichneumon mendax female.jpg, '' Ichneumon mendax'' female

References

Biolib

Ichneumonidae genera Ichneumoninae {{Ichneumonidae-stub