Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur

Sitio realizado por aficionados a la observación de aves desde 10 de enero 2006

Scarab hunter - Scolia rufiventris


Order Hymenoptera
Family Scoliidae
This is a parasitoid solitary bee. Its host are beetle larvae. The female wasps look for them by digging int he soil, sting them and deposit an egg on them. When the wasp larva hatches it will feed on the beetle larva. The wasp larva Will complete the whole cycle underground with no care taken by the parent and will emerge as an adult. At this stage it will feed on nectar.
These wasps are not aggressive to man. Both the name of the genus and the family come from the term "scoliosis" due to its crooked position.
Scoliid wasp
19-03-21 © Milena LLopis

With European bee on the left