2024 May 31 evening

   Ian Cooper photographed this tiny wasp at his home in Victoria.  There are hundreds, if not thousands, of parasitoidal wasps in the families Ichneumonidae,  Braconidae, and some related families.  Identification is a challenge, but, writes Jeremy Tatum, I agree with Ian that this is a braconid, and in the subfamily Microgastrinae:

Parasitoidal wasp (Hym.:  Braconidae – Microgastrinae)  Ian Cooper

Ian also photographed this dead Antrodiaetus pacificus.  Ian would like to acquire a suitable microscope that would enable him to make scierntifically valuable drawings of some of the creatures that he finds.  Suggestions, anyone?

Antrodiaetus pacificus  (Ara.: Antrodiaetidae)  Ian Cooper