Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Related Searches

chalcid

 - 3 dictionary results

chal⋅cid⋅fly

[kal-sid-flahy]
–noun, plural -flies.
any of numerous small flies of the family Chalcididae, often having bright metallic coloration, the larvae of which are chiefly parasitic on various stages of other insects.
Also called chal⋅cid [kal-sid] , chalcid fly, chalcid wasp.


Origin:
1890–95; < Gk chalk(ós) copper, brass (with allusion to the coloration) + -id 2 + fly 2
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To chalcid
chal·cid   (kāl'sĭd)   
n.  Any of various minute wasps of the superfamily Chalcidoidea, many of whose larvae parasitize the larvae of other insects.

[From New Latin Chalcis, type genus, from Greek khalkos, copper (from the wasp's metallic color).]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Encyclopedia

chalcid

any of more than 22,000 species of rather small parasitic wasps (order Hymenoptera). Some authorities believe that this superfamily may actually contain about 100,000 species, although these have not been documented. The average size is about 2 to 3 mm (0.08 to 0.12 inch). Chalcids are usually black or yellow with transparent wings. The adults feed on plant nectar or on the fluids from the wounds of animals. The larvae of most species are parasitic on insects that are pests of food crops, making them beneficial to humans.

Learn more about chalcid with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see chalcid on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us: