Five Newly Discovered Wasps Reveal Cyprus’ Hidden Biodiversity

The Mysterious Insects of Cyprus

Cyprus is the third-largest island in the Mediterranean, situated between Africa, Asia, and Europe. It covers 3,572 square miles and is home to 1,382,000 people. The island is dominated by two mountain ranges and contains the Cyprus Mediterranean forests ecoregion. Cyprus enjoys a subtropical climate and attracts around four million tourists each year.

From a biological standpoint, Cyprus’s topography and climate contribute to its endemism. The term endemism is used by scientists to describe a situation where species are only found in a defined geographical location. As a result, there are species found on Cyprus that are not found anywhere else on the planet. This also leads to a richness of habitats.

At the same time, despite its significant human population and even larger visitor numbers, much of Cyprus remains understudied when it comes to insects, especially chalcid wasps. There are more than 6,000 recorded insect species living on the island, but there could be many more!

How Was the Cyprus Wasp Population Investigated?

A recently published study explains how insect specimens were collected from various localities in Cyprus between 2024 and 2025. These were in the provinces of Limassol, Nicosia, and Paphos, and the U.K. Sovereign Base Area of Akrotiri. The specimens were collected by sweeping, by hand, or by using a beating sheet with an entomological umbrella. Both natural and urbanized habitats were surveyed. Insect specimens were dried and mounted for examination to determine their species.

Which New Wasp Species Were Found in Cyprus?

Amazingly, five new species of pteromalid wasps (a large family of wasps) were found on the island. As only five chalcid wasp species were previously recorded on the island, this discovery more than doubles the number of known species! This highlights how much insect diversity may remain undocumented. We clearly still have a lot to learn about European wasps!

Each of the five new species has been given a name with an interesting backstory. Ablaxia makrisi and Erythromalus makrisi were named after Christodoulos Makris, a prominent Cypriot entomologist. This was to honor his studies on Cypriot biodiversity and to acknowledge that he collected the holotypes for these two species.

The third species was named Hemitrichus akrotiriensis after the Akrotiri peninsula in Cyprus. This short peninsula includes the southernmost point of the island and features a variety of habitats, including wetlands, coastal scrub, dunes, and the Episkopi cliffs. It is acknowledged as a biodiversity hotspot. The fourth species was named Ablaxia toxeftrae, after Toxeftra Beach on the Akamas peninsula, where its holotype was found.

Finally, Janssoniella Aphrodite was named after the ancient Greek goddess Aphrodite. Its holotype was found in the Yeroskipou area of Paphos. Petra tou Romiou, also known as Aphrodite’s Rock, is a sea stack located in Paphos. This is believed to be the birthplace of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty.

What Do We Know About Pteromalid Wasps?

Pteromalid wasps belong to the family Pteromalidae and the order Hymenoptera. We know of at least 4,000 recorded species, but there are likely many more. Most of them are parasitoids of other insects. This means that they need another creature to survive, but their strategies for doing so vary greatly. Some are ectoparasitoids, living on the outside of their prey, while others are endoparasitoids, living inside. Some simply kill and consume their prey immediately, but most are known for being internal parasitoids. The female lays her eggs inside the host’s body. When the eggs hatch, the developing larvae consume the host from within, eventually killing it.

How Are Parasitoid Wasps Useful?

These wasps play a crucial role in local ecosystems and food webs. They have also been highly useful for pest control! The insects they destroy to complete their life cycles are often agricultural pests. Behind the scenes, these wasps silently help control pests in gardens, crops, and forests. Some also attack spiders and ticks.

In the US, parasitoid wasps have been deployed in the fight against the invasive emerald ash borer. You can even purchase them to release in your own garden!

Some are specialists and attack only a single host species. Others have greater host flexibility and will attack a range of related species. A few are even generalists with wide host ranges, although this strategy is less common. As we discover more new wasp species, we can hopefully develop a greater understanding of how to protect them.