Aphid Shell (Mummy)

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.

Identified on: 6/4/2026