Harmful or Benificial?

[JC's Garden]

I've not seen these guys before. Anyone know what they are? They are on crimson clover.

[applestar]

I suspect -- but am not positive -- these are trichogramma wasp pupae on clover eating butterfly or moth caterpillar. The larvae emerged from the demolished caterpillar and pupated on the leaf.

If curious, I would put in a paper towel lined jar with rubber banded paper towel lid and see what comes out. (I am! )

If they are wasps, then yes, they are beneficial (even if these might have eaten a nice butterfly caterpillar)
A fairly common butterfly to use clover as host plant would be a Sulfurs -- yellow butterflies... Have you seen any around? There's another one I'm thinking of bunt can't remember it.... Hmm I guess the other ones I'm thinking of must be Hairstreaks and Blues (tiny silver grey butterflies with tiny tails).

[JC's Garden]

Thanks applestar. I have seen lots of hairstreaks in my yard. I think you got it right with "trichogramma wasp pupae".

I sowed quite a bit of red clover this past winter, and not just in the garden. I'm mowing it and using it as a green in my compost pile. Clover gets going a long time before centipede.

I put the pupae back on some clover. I doubt I'll ever see them again. I have a good bit of parsley ready to bloom in that area. They'll do alright.