April 28, 2022

I am a Large Four-spotted Scoliid Wasp

I am a parasitoid of beetle babies

I sting and paralyze beetle larvae

Then my babies eat the larvae when they please.

Yes, this means that the beetle larvae is still alive, but can't move when the wasp larvae eat it. 

Location: WW Ranch Road, St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Sebastian

Sources: https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/wasps/scoliid_wasps.htm

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson