Proctotrupidae

Proctotrupidae is a family of parasitic wasps in the superfamily Proctotrupoidea. There are about 400 species in more than 30 genera in Proctotrupidae, found throughout most of the world.

Proctotrupidae are small parasitoid wasps, that primarily parasitise larvae of beetles belonging to the families Carabidae, Staphylinidae, and Elateridae, though a number of species are known to target other hosts, including fungus gnats (Mycetophilidae, Sciaridae) and concealer moths. Females in many species are wingless and dwell in the soil, where they are capable of detecting beetle larvae in their burrows. They typically have a body length of 5 to 8 mm, but species may range from 3 to 15 mm.