Chrysis viridula Linnaeus,1761
Description and notes
Identification keys and general biology are given in Morgan (1984) and Chapman (1870).
Distribution
Widespread throughout southern England and north to North-east Yorkshire. In Wales, mostly confined to coastal areas. Also in the Channel Islands. Not recorded in Scotland or Ireland. However, as the range of its host extends into southern Scotland, this chrysidid might be expected further north.
Overseas, found in many parts of mainland Europe (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Poland, Hungary and Romania) and extending eastwards to the Caucasus, and southwards to North Africa.
Status (in Britain only)
Not listed in Shirt (1987) or Falk (1991); however work for this Atlas suggests that it may be in decline and that its status should be reviewed.
Habitat
Found around the nest sites of its host which are usually in bare vertical banks of hard earth, often of clay or sometimes sand. Also recorded from the wall of a church.
Flight period
Probably univoltine; June to August, sometimes during May and rarely in September.
Flowers visited
Females have been found on umbellifers.
Parasites
No information available.
Parasitic biology
A parasitoid of the eumenid wasps Odynerus spinipes (Linnaeus) and Odynerus melanocephalus (Gmelin). The adult chrysidid oviposits in the cell of its host while the host larva is spinning its cocoon, or just after the cocoon has been completed (the adult is able to open the cocoon to lay its egg). On hatching, the chrysidid larva consumes the host larva.
Year profile last updated
1998