Photographs of Phobocampe confusa, the only ichneumonid parasitoid of Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock caterpillars in the North West of England. Below are 2 photos of an adult Phobocampe confusa which emerged as a larva from a Peacock caterpillar. Only a single larva emerges from a host unlike the other parasitoids of these caterpillars. Also the larva leaves only the skin and head capsule of the caterpillar uneaten and is as such a much more efficient consumer than the tachinid larvae below.

I hope to add some better quality photos soon!

Photographs of Pelatachina tibialis, the main tachinid parasitoid of Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock caterpillars in the North West of England. The adult below emerged from a Small Tortoiseshell caterpillar in 2008. Pelatachina tibialis emerge from their host as a final instar larvae (slimy white maggots around 10mm in length). Up to 6 larvae can emerge from a single host (and yet the host can still be "alive" when the parasitoids emerge!). They then pupate (puparia pictured below next to the adult) and the majority overwinter in puparial form.

The image below is of a dead Small Tortoiseshell caterpillar with three Pelatachina tibialis puparia (cocoons). These three all emerged one at a time from this caterpillar as larvae (which are slimy white maggots), then formed these hard puparia. We have around 200 of these, none of which have hatched as yet.