Narrow-headed Chalcid Wasp

Size 6mm. This wasp was found on our pineapple plant. It looks smaller and slimmer than the chalcid wasps I usually find. It has a striking resemblance to what I call the Agile Hairy Chalcid Wasp. The base of the antennae in this species are bright, and the body is rather pustulose than hairy. Both species are certainly close relatives. The wasp did not mind my presence much, but turned itself away and down the leaf slope where I would struggle to see it properly. I am not sure if the colour rendition is accurate. I felt like there was a green shimmer on the body, but some of it could be artefacts. What struck me was the wasps behaviour. It can and readily turns its head to the side. It seemed to prefer to look at me through the occelli or it may have inspected the leaf with the downward pointing compound eye. The head is even narrower than normal, the eyes look like they pop out as if they were the only component of the head, almost hammer-head like. Two front legs are thin and of bright colour. Hind leg shows the usual twisting and massive femur.