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Previously known as Torymus auratus(Geoffrey 1785) and renamed T. flavipes by Walker in 1833, this wasp is a parasitoid of the following gall causers; Andricus corruptrix agamic, A. curvator sexual, A. inflator sexual, A. quadrilineatus agamic, A. quercusramuli sexual, A. seminationis agamic, Aphelonyx cerricola, Biorhiza pallida sexual, Cynips disticha agamic, Cynips divisa agamic, Cynips longiventris agamic, Cynips quercusfolii agamic, Diplolepis eglanteriae, Diplolepis mayri, Diplolepis nervosa, Diplolepis rosae ?, Diplolepis spinosa, Neuroterus albipes, Neuroterus numismalis, Neuroterus quercusbaccarum, Neuroterus tricolor, Plagiotrochus quercusilicis.
It also parasitoid the following inquilines; Periclistus brandtii, Synergus albipes, Synergus gallaepomiformis and Synergus nervosus.
Other parasitoid that it may be a hyperparasite of include; Olynx arsames, Pediobius lysis, Eurytoma brunniventris, Mesopolobus tibialis, Syntomaspis notata and Torymus notatus.
Other target species outside hymenoptera are Diptera and include; Cecidomyiidae - Cecidomyia baccharicola, Dasineura asperulae, Kiefferia pimpinellae, Putoniella marsupialis, Rabdophaga dubia. Tephritidae - Chaetostomella onotrophes, Urophora jaceana and Urophora quadrifasciata.
The female wasp measures 1.7-3.3mm which averages out at 2.5mm excluding the ovipositor.
The head is coriaceous, metallic green with red/brown tints. The eyes are large and bright red, however the ocelli are almost colourless. The antennae are dark brown with a yellow marked scape and pale sensillae running along the segments. There is one ring and 7 funicular segments which have a slight taper to the continuous club.
The Thorax is metallic gold green and bronze with the notaulices nearly full length. The tegulae are straw coloured which lead on to the wings which are clear and hairy, with pale brown hairs. The veins are yellow brown and although the stigmal vein is only short the stigma and uncus are both well formed. The legs have metallic green coxae with only afew long, pale hairs on the top of the rear pair. The rest of the legs are coloured pale yellow with 5 tarsel segments and darker claws.
The gaster (abdomen) is a shiny brilliant metallic gold green with visible segments that are lightly sculptured and punctured. It is thin from above and from the side view appears triangular. The ovipositor sheaths are hairy, dark above and yellow below, and are mid sized to about just over half of the body length.
The male measures in at 1.6-2.9mm with an average of 2.4mm
The head is slightly different from the female being coriaceous, bright metallic green and hairy. The eyes are large and bright red, however the ocelli are almost colourless, as in the females. The antennae are grey brown in colour, with a glossy pedicel and yellow markings on the scape and longitudinal sensillae. There is one ring and 7 funicular segments. Unlike the female the antennae are not tapered.
The thorax is a bright metallic green with some gold or bronze tinges. It is hairy and the notaulices are deep and full length. The tegulae are straw coloured leading to clear wings with grey brown hairs and pale yellow brown veins. The stigmal vein is short but the stigma is sizable. The legs have metallic green coxae with afew long, pale hairs on the top of the rear pair. The rest is yellow with dark brown or metallic markings on the middle of the femora and tibia, with bright yellow joints. There are 5 tarsel segments and darker claws.
The gaster is bright metallic green at the front, changing to bronze in the rear half with some hairs. It is slender from above but appears to be quite full from the side.
The flight times for this wasp are from march through to october.
More detailed descriptions and identification keys are available from Robin Williams at the British Plant Gall Society.
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