Philoctetes truncatus
Local name: blå glansguldstekel
The blå glansguldstekel (Philoctetes truncatus) is a striking metallic blue-green parasitoid wasp with a distinctive truncated abdomen and iridescent sheen. This specialized wasp plays a crucial ecological role as a parasitoid of wood-boring beetle larvae, helping regulate forest pest populations in Scandinavian coniferous ecosystems.
Photo: iNaturalist: (c) Paul Vignac, all rights reserved, uploaded by Paul Vignac
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Hymenoptera
Family
Chrysididae
Genus
Philoctetes
Philoctetes truncatus belongs to the family Chrysididae, order Hymenoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
The blå glansguldstekel (Philoctetes truncatus) is a striking metallic blue-green parasitoid wasp with a distinctive truncated abdomen and iridescent sheen. This specialized wasp plays a crucial ecological role as a parasitoid of wood-boring beetle larvae, helping regulate forest pest populations in Scandinavian coniferous ecosystems.
The blå glansguldstekel (Philoctetes truncatus) faces severe population declines due to habitat loss from agricultural expansion and urban development across its limited range. Climate change is altering the availability of its specialized host species, while pesticide use in agricultural areas directly impacts both the wasp and its prey insects.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
This species inhabits mixed deciduous and coniferous forests, forest edges, and semi-natural grasslands with abundant flowering plants, typically at elevations between 200-800 meters. It requires areas with dead wood and bark beetle populations that serve as hosts for its parasitoid lifestyle.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The blå glansguldstekel (Philoctetes truncatus) faces severe population declines due to habitat loss from agricultural expansion and urban development across its limited range. Climate change is altering the availability of its specialized host species, while pesticide use in agricultural areas directly impacts both the wasp and its prey insects.
Climate change affecting host species availability
Habitat loss from agricultural expansion
Pesticide use reducing prey populations
Urban development and land conversion
Forest fragmentation isolating populations
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Philoctetes truncatus (Philoctetes truncatus). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/bla-glansguldstekel