Chrysis angustula

Subspecies include:^[1]

• Chrysis angustula alpina Niehuis, 2000
• Chrysis angustula angustula Schenck, 1856

This rather common Trans-Palearctic species is widespread in most of Europe. southwestern Asia, Siberia and China.^[2]

These wasps mainly occurs on wooded pastures, sparse forests, forest margins, clearings, gardens and parks, preferably with sun-exposed dead trees and stumps. They can be easily found also on walls of wooden buildings, old wood's doors, poles, log piles and dead tree trunks.^[3][4]

Chrysis angustula can reach a body length of about 6–9 mm (0.24–0.35 in).^[4] These relatively small cuckoo wasps are part of the difficult-to-determine Chrysis ignita complex, with more than ten similar species. The head and the anterior part of the body are metallic shiny green blue, often with extensive gold-colored drawings in the middle body. The abdomen is rather elongated and shows a characteristic metallic golden color, with reddish or green sheen. Moreover, the posterior dorsal plate is provided with rather small and sparse points, gliding towards the back edge of the plate.^[3][4][5] The apical teeth of the abdomen are short, while the central interval is rather wide.^[4]

This species is very closely related to Chrysis leptomandibularis, that has a very strongly flattened jaws without punctuation or other structure, while the jaws of Chrysis angustula are noticeably thickened when viewed from the side.^[3]