Bee Wolf
A fascinating digger wasp (all wasps fascinate me) that paralyses honey bees then buries them alive in its lair for the young to feed on. Its tunnel can be a meter or more long with lots of side chambers. Each of up to 30 chambers will be the tomb for 4-5 bees and a single egg. When the egg hatches it has a larder of live but paralysed bees to feed upon. Before the bees are placed in each chamber the wasp will clean them. It will then coat them with a substance that acts not only as an antibacterial agent, but a fungicide too. This means the bees remain fresh and healthy as they are devoured.
Bee Wolf
A fascinating digger wasp (all wasps fascinate me) that paralyses honey bees then buries them alive in its lair for the young to feed on. Its tunnel can be a meter or more long with lots of side chambers. Each of up to 30 chambers will be the tomb for 4-5 bees and a single egg. When the egg hatches it has a larder of live but paralysed bees to feed upon. Before the bees are placed in each chamber the wasp will clean them. It will then coat them with a substance that acts not only as an antibacterial agent, but a fungicide too. This means the bees remain fresh and healthy as they are devoured.