In the summer 2016 I happened to get a series of pictures of this funny creature, the big Sand Wasp. But now I have taken the time to sort and edit the pictures.
The wasp digs a deep hole in the sand with a nest chamber. Then it looks for a big larva which is paralyzed with a poison that does not kill the larva. The victim is carried to the nest hole.
Then the larva is pulled down into the nest chamber where an egg is placed on the larva. The wasp larva then eats the moth larva. Since it is not dead it will stay fresh.
A big larva offers sufficient food for the wasp larva to grow up and pupate in the chamber. If only smaller larvae are available two or more are collected.
The hole is filled and covered with sand and a single bigger stone.
More pictures from the event and a more elaborate explanation can be viewed on the great photo site of the canadian photographer Robert Berdan , where I am guest photographer.
These three pictures can be seen in full size only at my Flickr site
Ammophila sabulosa with lunch packet
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Ammophila sabulosa with lunch packet
Troels Holm, biologist (retired), environmentalist, amateur photographer.
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