Bug FAQBraconid wasp
Habrobracon hebetor · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Braconidae
Habrobracon hebetor is a very small wasp in the Braconidae family. It parasitizes moth caterpillars, feeding on their blood with enzymes that quickly break down proteins. At 30 °C its development from egg to adult takes about 10 to 13 days, and the adult female lives roughly 23 days, laying around 100 eggs.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
It belongs to the Braconidae family of wasps.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
It is a very small wasp.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
It has been used as a biological control agent to reduce pest populations in homes and farms.
Source: Wikipedia
How to get rid of it
It is released commercially to control pest insects without using chemical insecticides.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It is an ectoparasitoid of several moth caterpillar species. Its gut enzymes quickly destroy the blood proteins of the larvae it feeds on.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
At 30 °C the life cycle from parasitism to adult emergence lasts about 10 to 13 days. An adult female lives about 23 days and can produce roughly 100 eggs.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 8 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Illinois, Kansas, California, Pennsylvania, Georgia, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
Questions people ask
What does Habrobracon hebetor feed on?
It parasitizes moth caterpillars and uses gut enzymes to break down their blood proteins.
Source: Wikipedia
How long does it take to develop from egg to adult?
At 30 °C development takes about 10 to 13 days.
Source: Wikipedia
How many eggs can a female lay?
A female lives about 23 days and can lay roughly 100 eggs.
Source: Wikipedia
How is this wasp used in pest control?
It is released commercially to control pest insects without chemical insecticides.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Braconidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habrobracon_hebetor
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-29 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-29.