About Chrysura austriaca (Fabricius, 1804)
Chrysura austriaca (Fabricius, 1804) individuals measure between 8 and 12 millimeters in length. Their head and mesosoma are blue; the mesoscutum sometimes has lateral golden green reflections. The metasoma is golden red in color. This species has a small subapical tooth on its mandible. Male C. austriaca do not have ventrally swollen antennal segments. Compared to other similarly colored Chrysura species, C. austriaca has a broader head when viewed ventrally. The flight period of this species runs from June through early August.
This species has a Trans-Paleartic distribution, spanning from Europe and North Africa to Siberia and Japan. Within Europe, it has been recorded in Germany, Spain, Italy, and Lithuania. C. austriaca is a parasitic species, so its populations can only survive in close proximity to its host species. It inhabits forest margins and gardens, located near sites where its host species lay eggs. These host oviposition sites include wooden fencing, brick walls, drystone walls, loess, rocks, and clay deposits.
