The Ichneumon Files

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/ichneumon_files.htm

Access: The files are currently hosted in DropBox: The Ichneumon Files

Aims: The Ichneumon Files project seeks to produce modern illustrated keys to Ichneumonidae, and other parasitic Hymenoptera, of Britain and Ireland.

As a newcomer to Ichneumonidae, I was impressed by how much literature there was, but how dated and/or cumbersome many of the keys were to use. It was a missed opportunity that such photogenic insects were mostly illustrated with line-drawings or photos of faded specimens.

Hymenopteran terminology is notoriously different from that of other orders of insects, so there's a big learning curve. Additional diagrams, photographs and explanatory arrows, could greatly simplify identification for new converts.

Methodology: Without long experience of parasitica, my role is limited to editing and photography, but most of the information exists - it just needs pulling together.

Gavin Broad et al have recently (2016) published checklists of UK Ichneumonidae, Braconidae and Chalcidoidea and these provide the basis for updating older works, both for nomenclatural changes and to trace the original publication of additional British records.

The FaceBook Hymenopterists Forum Group is also a very useful source of information and inspiration.

Progress: A number of keys have been reformatted and illustrated. The originals were either published under a CC licence, or permission was obtained from the author. The new versions are "works in progress" as photographs will continue to be added as they become available.

Perkins' two RES Ichneumon handbooks (1959 & 1960): Remastered keys from Perkins two handbooks. The taxonomy has been updated and the additional species listed after each key, but not yet incorporated, otherwise they are ready for use. 44 files, 680 pages. The subfamilies key is omitted as Gavin has web-published his modern one nocturnalichs.myspecies.info)

(Perkins' original handbooks can be downloaded from http://www.royensoc.co.uk/content/out-print-handbooks.www.royensoc.co.uk/content/out-print-handbooks) but they've redesigned their website and they appear to be currently unavailable.

Gavin Broad's Nocturnal Ichneumonoids: With Gavin's kind permission, a reworking of the key to genera with additional photography.

(Gavin's original is at nocturnalichs.myspecies.info)

Keys to the Western Palearctic Meteorini (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) by Stigenberg, J. & Ronquist, F.: With kind permission of the author. Rearranged to put the photos next to the couplets, a couple of corrections by the original author and additional photography. (This is one of the groups that comes to light.)