Laelius Ashmead, 1893

Notton, David G., Popovici, Ovidiu A., Achterberg, Cornelis Van, Rond, Jeroen De & Burn, John T., 2014, Parasitoid wasps new to Britain (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae, Eurytomidae, Braconidae & Bethylidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 99 (99), pp. 1-20 : 14

Genus Laelius Ashmead, 1893

One species of this genus, Laelius microneurus , was reported previously from Britain and was keyed by Perkins (1976). Recent taxonomic work has shown that this species should be called L. femoralis (see below for discussion and synonymy). A second species, L. pedatus , is newly reported here from Britain. The two species may be identified from the key by Vikberg & Koponen (2005); a simplified key is presented here for the British species.

Key to females of British Laelius

1. Stigmal vein straight or almost straight, barely or not widened apically; pterostigma brown, slightly darker than basal vein, and without a seta which is longer than the nearby setae on the costal vein; apex of costal cell with several short setae; propodeum with discal longitudinal carinae slightly converging posteriorly; disc of fore wing hyaline (normally found outdoors) ……………………………………………………………………… Laelius femoralis (Förster, 1860)

- Stigmal vein curved and apically broadened; pterostigma as pale as basal vein and with dorsal seta which is longer than the nearby setae on the subcostal vein; apex of costal cell with 0(–1) small setae; propodeum with discal longitudinal carinae slightly diverging posteriorly, furthest apart at about posterior 2/3; disc of fore wing infuscate (normally found indoors) ……… Laelius pedatus (Say, 1836)