Females of Pelecinus (Hymenoptera: Pelecinidae) are generally fairly common and are often described as unmistakable. They have an extremely elongate abdomen that is used to find their host larvae in the soil. Males have a pedunculate (club-shaped) abdomen and are generally similar to a medium-sized sphecid. Both sexes hold the wings elevated above the thorax when alive (similar to butterflies and damselflies) and do not flex them over their back. The hind tibiae of the females are greatly swollen apically. In both sexes the basal tarsomere of the hind legs is greatly shortened, its length less than that of the second tarsomere. In the fore wing vein Rs is forked.

Specimens from the U.S. and Canada are almost invariably black in color with a white annulus (ring) on the antennae. The fore wings are noticeably darkened along the leading edge, and this infuscation is sometimes more generally distributed through the entire wing. Tropical specimens may be much more variable. Wing color may be very similar to that just described for the Nearctic populations, but some specimens have the apex of the fore wing with a distinct and abrupt black tip. The thorax and abdomen may be red or reddish brown in color. Some are generally "reddened," while others show distinct black and red patches (when we get some good pictures these will be posted). In these red specimens, the wing veins are also much fainter than "normal."

Pelecinus home page.

OSU Insect Collection home page.