During a caterpillar hunt in mid-September at Don Robinson State Park, I came across a redbud leaf with a number of mummified Oedemasia concinna (red-humped caterpillar moth) caterpillars. These cats all appeared to be dead and were wrapped in what looks like their own silk. After close inspection, I could not find any exit holes that the potential parasitoid would have made. So, I collected the leaf and the baker’s dozen of these hosts and took them home to hopefully rear the parasitoids.
About three days later I checked the container that held these guys. To my surprise every single parasitoid had emerged from their hosts. In this case, the natural enemy is the Ichneumonid parasitoid, Hyposoter fugitivus. In the following images you can see the tiny wasps that have emerged from the even tinier caterpillars.
Here are some closeups of the wasps.
Finally, a photo of the gorgeous caterpillar they may have become if not for these natural enemies…
A Thousand Acres of Silphiums 