''Methocha'' is a genus of

parasitoid In evolutionary ecology, a parasitoid is an organism that lives in close association with its host (biology), host at the host's expense, eventually resulting in the death of the host. Parasitoidism is one of six major evolutionarily stable str ...

wasp A wasp is any insect of the narrow-waisted suborder Apocrita of the order Hymenoptera which is neither a bee nor an ant; this excludes the broad-waisted sawflies (Symphyta), which look somewhat like wasps, but are in a separate suborder. Th ...

s in the family

Thynnidae The Thynnidae (also known as thynnid wasps or flower wasps) are a family of large, solitary wasps whose larvae are almost universally parasitoids of various beetle larvae, especially those in the superfamily Scarabaeoidea. Until recently, the con ...

. The species of this genus are found worldwide except in Australia, and attack the larvae of

tiger beetle Tiger beetles are a family of beetles, Cicindelidae, known for their aggressive predatory habits and running speed. The fastest known species of tiger beetle, ''Rivacindela hudsoni'', can run at a speed of , or about 125 body lengths per second. ...

s. Females are wingless, and can be mistaken for ants, while males are winged.

Biology

Female ''Methocha'' actively hunt over the ground for burrows containing tiger beetle larvae, which are

ambush predator Ambush predators or sit-and-wait predators are carnivorous animals that capture or trap prey via stealth, luring or by (typically instinctive) strategies utilizing an element of surprise. Unlike pursuit predators, who chase to capture prey us ...

s; the wasp entices the beetle larva into attacking, evades being bitten, and quickly moves in and stings the larva in its vulnerable underside, paralyzing it. It then lays an egg on the immobile beetle larva, and the wasp larva consumes it.E.O. Wilson, D.J. Farish (1973) Predatory behaviour in the ant-like wasp ''Methocha stygia'' (Say) (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae). ''Animal Behaviour'' 21(2):292-295. DOI:10.1016/S0003-3472(73)80069-7

Species

* ''

Methocha alutacea ''Methocha'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Thynnidae. The species of this genus are found worldwide except in Australia, and attack the larvae of tiger beetles. Females are wingless, and can be mistaken for ants, while males are ...

'' Linnaeus * ''

Methocha anomala ''Methocha'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Thynnidae. The species of this genus are found worldwide except in Australia, and attack the larvae of tiger beetles. Females are wingless, and can be mistaken for ants, while males are ...

'' Krombein * ''

Methocha californica ''Methocha'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Thynnidae. The species of this genus are found worldwide except in Australia, and attack the larvae of tiger beetles. Females are wingless, and can be mistaken for ants, while males are ...

'' Westwood, 1881 * ''

Methocha formosa ''Methocha'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Thynnidae. The species of this genus are found worldwide except in Australia, and attack the larvae of tiger beetles. Females are wingless, and can be mistaken for ants, while males are ...

'' Krombein, 1954 * ''

Methocha ichneumonides ''Methocha'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Thynnidae. The species of this genus are found worldwide except in Australia, and attack the larvae of tiger beetles. Females are wingless, and can be mistaken for ants, while males are w ...

'' Latreille, 1804 * ''

Methocha impolita ''Methocha'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Thynnidae. The species of this genus are found worldwide except in Australia, and attack the larvae of tiger beetles. Females are wingless, and can be mistaken for ants, while males are w ...

'' Krombein, 1958 * ''

Methocha krombeini ''Methocha'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Thynnidae. The species of this genus are found worldwide except in Australia, and attack the larvae of tiger beetles. Females are wingless, and can be mistaken for ants, while males are w ...

'' Raveendram, Kumar, Binoy, & Sureshan, 2021(2021)
A taxonomic study of Methocha Latreille (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae: Methochinae) from India with description of three new species
Zootaxa. 4999. 258-272. 10.11646/zootaxa.4999.3.5. * ''

Methocha paraceylonica ''Methocha'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Thynnidae. The species of this genus are found worldwide except in Australia, and attack the larvae of tiger beetles. Females are wingless, and can be mistaken for ants, while males are w ...

'' Raveendram, Kumar, Binoy, & Sureshan, 2021 * ''

Methocha shyamagatra ''Methocha'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Thynnidae. The species of this genus are found worldwide except in Australia, and attack the larvae of tiger beetles. Females are wingless, and can be mistaken for ants, while males are w ...

'' Raveendram, Kumar, Binoy, & Sureshan, 2021 * ''

Methocha stygia ''Methocha'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Thynnidae. The species of this genus are found worldwide except in Australia, and attack the larvae of tiger beetles. Females are wingless, and can be mistaken for ants, while males are w ...

'' (Say, 1836) * ''

Methocha uchinanensis ''Methocha'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Thynnidae. The species of this genus are found worldwide except in Australia, and attack the larvae of tiger beetles. Females are wingless, and can be mistaken for ants, while males are w ...

'' Terayamma & Mita, 2015 * ''

Methocha yaeyamensis ''Methocha'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Thynnidae. The species of this genus are found worldwide except in Australia, and attack the larvae of tiger beetles. Females are wingless, and can be mistaken for ants, while males are w ...

'' Terayamma & Mita, 2015

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4044148 Hymenoptera Hymenoptera genera