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First species was found on Agrius convolvuli, Hawk-moth larva, on december, israel.
*edit*, size should be about 1cm.

I just ran into this site, suggesting some parasitoids.
http://tpittaway..../a_con.htm

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Second is a parasitic wasp? found on Papilio machaon, Old World Swallowtail larva, June, Israel.
*edit* size about 3mm.

thanks

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second photo shows a Pteromalidae wasp.

the former seems to be a Sarcophagid. red traffic eyes!

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Few sites connects the Pteromalus sp. and especially Pteromalus puparum to parasite the papilio sp. larva


www.informaworld....15WP6X.pdf, sadly i can't read the whole doc. only bits from google.

I guess it's safe to say it's Pteromalus sp.?

any chance for a genus on the Sarcophagid?

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The fly is definitely not a sarcophagid (there is a subscutellum) and it looks more like a Sturmia bella (or related member of the tribe Sturmiini). I would guess that it isn't exactly Sturmia bella though because the host and the behaviour is all wrong - only the general appearance is right.

Really we need Theo to say whether it could be something specific to your region :)

PS: BTW, as a general rule we split threads into 1 species per thread - it makes it less confusing when people reply. Also, this area is for Diptera - Hymenoptera requests should go in the "Other insects" area :)

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As another thought, after having a look through some of my photos, some of the Drino spp. look a bit like that ... but it still needs Theo I think :)

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Is it possible that it's actually a Tachinidae as the site i linked suggested?
they note 3 species:
Drino ciliata & atropivora
Masicera sphingivora

there are very few pics on the net, but anyway i couldn't tell one fly from another. :)
I understand that the Tachinids have enlarged postscutellum, but no idea how to id. it and if it can be seen from those photos..still learning..
found this usefull diagram on Wiki..u/l it in full size, mayb it will help others as well.
did some PP on it, still need some more.

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I understand, no problem ;)

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another pitfall... Drino!

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Hi Finklez, can't help with the ID - I'm a novice myself - but here's the post-scutellum.... your photo edited, hope you don't mind.

Tim

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of course what I meant to say was 'sub-scutellum'!

Tim

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It's a nice diagram ... but it doesn't show the subscutellum ;) It is usually quite difficult to see on photos because it is a bulge hidden under the scutellum at the posterior of the thorax ... and often obscured by the wing when viewing laterally.

But with a little practice you will be able to spot tachinids because they have some features that make them distinct:
- they usually have strong/thick bristles (except for the ones that don't - like the phasiines ;))
- they have a bend in the median vein (except the few that don't - Ocytata palipes)
- they have a subscutellum (except the few that don't - Litophasia sp.) etc. :)

Tachinids can be confused with some muscids, nearly all sarcophagids, nearly all rhinophorids. It helps to know what the "usual suspects" in the other families look like ... and the tachinids are what's left over :)

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Yes, the ocellar bristles seem to be reduced or missing. Drino atropivora or something exotic.

Jaakko

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thanks all, and ChrisR for the quick tachinids guide..:P

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Ahh, sub-scutellum ... post-scutellum ... the world of entomology is littered with multiple words for the same body part, depending on which key you are reading at the time ;) Luckily all tachinid keys stick to the same words for most of the essential parts and you just have to learn the ones that don't or just double-check on the key's opening diagrams :)

Nice photo enlargement BTW - it can be incredibly hard to get a photo of the subscutellum :)