Parasitoid wasp Pteromalus cassotis during and after emergence from the chrysalis of Danaus plexippus (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/149401085) on 19 October 2022. At least 70+ individuals emerged. Several individuals collected for more extensive photography and for DNA barcoding analysis. The last three images are not alive, from specimens preserved in ethanol for DNA barcoding. See also video at https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj4YdOMg3xr/ and https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj5XXRdgEZo/

Found in a cocoon in completed upper surface linear blotch mine on Toxicodendron radicans. This individual was a solitary miner, but these mines were common on posion ivy, and while this one was found already pupated, others looked very young/new with very small white circles that over the past few weeks have grown significantly. Some leaves had mines that appeared to have up to about 3 pupal chambers (definitely more than one). The creases in the epidermis demarcate where there is a pupa in the image above. The adult emerged 9/10.

Reared from mines collected 6/17/20
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/50300182

Cooled to get photos. (Last image of upside down moth is immediately after removing from refrigeration, not dead.) It maintained this "headstand" posture most of the time. As it was warming up, it was able to walk around quickly, but would find a spot and return to the headstand position. I set it aside to see if it would lower the tail end during resting, but 45 minutes later it was still sitting in the same position and had not moved. I gave it a tiny bump and it flew off. Released in the wild afterward.