Back to photostream

Rhyssa persuasoria

This large ichnuemon wasp bores deep into wood to lay its eggs on the larvae of wood-wasps. It is one of Europe's largest ichnuemons. A wood-wasp has layed its eggs deep inside the wood where it should be safe from predators and parasites, but as usual in nature, something amazing like this ichnuemon, with an incredibly long ovipositor (for drilling into wood and laying eggs through) evolves and can find and exploit even the most difficultly placed prey.

1,467 views
4 faves
11 comments
Uploaded on May 16, 2006
Taken on May 17, 2006