a small blue and yellow insect sitting on top of a person's hand

Giant Scolid wasp Megascolia procer

The species is a parasitoid of the scarabaeid Atlas beetle Chalcosoma atlas. The wasp paralyzes a beetle grub with its sting, then lays an egg on it and buries it in an underground cell. When the wasp larva hatches, it consumes its still-living host before pupating inside its remains.

Comments