Chrysis gracillima (Förster,1853)
Description and notes
Identification keys and general biology are given in Morgan (1984) and Falk (1991).
Distribution
South-eastern England from Dorset to West Suffolk.
Overseas, the wasp occurs in Europe (including The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy (Sicily), Poland, Austria, Hungary), North Africa (Morocco), Jordan.
Status (in Britain only)
Listed in Shirt (1987) and Falk (1991) as Vulnerable (RDB 2).
Habitat
Found in a range of habitats including lowland heath, hedgerows and chalk downland. Habitats probably need the presence of dead wood in which its host nests. Adults seen on trunks of dead trees.
Flight period
From the few records available, from June to August but mainly July and August.
Flowers visited
Wild carrot.
Parasites
No specific information found.
Parasitic biology
Seems to be associated with small aculeates that nest in holes in dead wood, possibly Trypoxylon clavicerum.