chalcid

/ ˈkælsɪd /

noun

1. any tiny hymenopterous insect of the family Chalcididae and related families, whose larvae are parasites of other insects

Word History and Origins

Origin of chalcid¹

C19: from New Latin Chalcis type genus, from Greek khalkos copper, referring to its metallic sheen

Example Sentences

These intruders consisted of small red ants, a diminutive beetle, and a series formed by a minute chalcid, parasitic on a larger chalcid, which was parasitic on an ichneumon, which was parasitic on the spider.

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Many guests were plodding along with the ants, mostly staphylinids of which we secured five species, a brown histerid beetle, a tiny chalcid, and several Phorid flies, one of which was winged.

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