Trybliographa, buffington, usda

This is picture 12 from a 12 picture invited series by Matt Buffington (matt.buffington@usda.gov) at the USDA Parastitic Hymentoptera group using specimens from the U.S. Natural History Museum Smithsonian. Matt uses a system very similar to ours to photograph and stack this super tiny wasp. Species of Trybliographa parastize maggots! The wasp larva live in the host maggot, eating it from the inside out, eventually killing the host. These are remarkably handsome wasps, clothed in an all-black patent leather shine!