Eucharitidae

Dilocantha bennetii Heraty

	Eucharitinae
	Oraseminae

Distribution	Worlwide, but most diverse in tropical and subtropical regions.
Biology	Parasitoids of ant larvae. Eggs are laid into plant tissue. The mobile planidium larva attaches itself to an ant worker and is carried into the nest, where it transfers to a larva. The planidium then waits until the ant larva pupates and then commences feeding as an ectoparasitoid. The planidium will sometimes feed on an intermediate carrier such as a Thysanopteran if it initially is not successful in attaching to an ant worker when it hatches.
References	Gibson A.P. 1993. Superfamilies Mymarommatoidea and Chalcidoidea (pp. 570-655). In GOULET, H. & HUBER, J. (eds). Hymenoptera of the World: an identification guide to families. Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, Canada, 668 pp. Heraty, J.M. 1994. Classification and evolution of the Oraseminae in the Old World, including revision of two closely related genera of Eucharitinae (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae). Life Sciences Contributions, Royal Ontario Museum 157: vii+174pp. Heraty, J.M. 2002. A revision of the genera of Eucharitidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) of the World. Memoirs of the American Entomological Society 68: 1-359.
Credits	Illustration © John Heraty (University of California Riverside). Photographs © Simon van Noort (Iziko Museums of Cape Town).