Knowledgebase
Looks like a micro wasp #946617
Asked October 06, 2026, 3:25 PM EDT
Hennepin County Minnesota
Expert Response
Thank you for your question.
The first two photographs were too blurry for me to attempt an identification. The insect in the third image looks like it could be a minute parasitoid wasp. You were quite close in calling it a micro wasp. It might be in the Diapriidae family. I would be hesitant in classifying lower than this. Many diapriids parasitize the immature stages of tiny flies, including fungus gnats, fruit/vinegar flies, and other flies developing in moist organic material. They do not bite people, sting people, infest food, or damage the house. In fact, their presence can sometimes indicate that another small insect—often a fly—is breeding somewhere nearby. It appears that relatively little is found about them in the scientific literature. That you found these in a kitchen area is not surprising as many host insects would be found in such a locale. Among these would be the common fruit fly Drosophila. These wasps would lay eggs in the pupae of this host species. See the following:
https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/15955/bgimage
https://minnesotabeeatlas.umn.edu/species-guide/wasps/parasitic/diapriidae
Interesting insect. Thanks for consulting us about it.