Community identification
Aphid Shell (Mummy)
Aphidius colemani (Parasitized Aphid)
- Order & Family
- Order: Hymenoptera, Family: Braconidae
- Size
- 1 - 2 mm
Natural Habitat
Agricultural fields, greenhouses, and gardens worldwide
Diet & Feeding
The internal contents of a live aphid host
Behavior Patterns
A female braconid wasp lays an egg inside a live aphid. The larva consumes the aphid from the inside, causing it to swell and harden into a brownish shell called a mummy. The wasp then pupates inside and emerges as an adult.
Risks & Benefits
Highly beneficial for biological pest control as they significantly reduce aphid populations naturally without chemicals.