The taxonomic rank and delineation of Philoctetes has differed among several authors. We follow the definition given by Kimsey and Bohart (1991) and consider it as a distinct genus. Philoctetes is characterised by the following diagnostic features: mesoscutum with large punctures concentrated along notauli; central malar space without carina; mesopleuron rounded and weakly projecting ventrally; metascutellum usually conical; posterior margin of T3 usually deeply notched medially. The hosts consist of crabronid wasps of the subfamily Pemphredoninae. Approximately 40 species are recognised worldwide, and about 30 of these are Palearctic (Kimsey and Bohart 1991). A total of 22 species are known from Europe (Rosa and Soon 2012), but only P. truncatus is found in the Nordic and Baltic countries (Paukkunen et al. 2014).