I've been visiting a new park that has interesting habitats (carnivorous plants, and apparently a species of rattlesnake). Near a lake shore there is a large area of coarse sand, and in the late summer this area gets very busy with solitary wasps of various kinds. Here is our largest thread-waisted wasp (Ammophila procera) hauling a caterpillar over some obstacles. I think the prey is a walnut caterpillar (Datana integerrima). She had managed to get it hopelessly stuck between a rock and a hard place, so I freed it for her. She immediately snatched back her prize from my hand, and this picture came shortly after.
Thread-waisted wasp by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr
Her burrow entrance was nearby, although concealed with a sand plug. She put down the caterpillar, opened the burrow, and then she dragged the caterpillar inside. This picture was taken in great haste since I was not quite ready.
Inside the burrow, she would place the caterpillar in one of several chambers and lay an egg on it. Her young will have live meat to dine on. Here she has re-appeared and is filling in the burrow entrance again. She soon flew off to repeat the entire process.
Thread-waisted wasp by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr
Thanks for looking!
A wasp gets a caterpillar
Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau
- MarkSturtevant
- Posts: 1957
- Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2015 6:52 pm
- Location: Michigan, U.S.A.
- Contact:
A wasp gets a caterpillar
Mark Sturtevant
Dept. of Still Waters
Dept. of Still Waters
Re: A wasp gets a caterpillar
Nice series.
-
- Posts: 112
- Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2011 3:56 pm
Re: A wasp gets a caterpillar
Wonderful series.
Re: A wasp gets a caterpillar
Exellent photo's thank you, isnt life amazing?
-
- Posts: 52
- Joined: Thu May 20, 2021 5:35 am
- Location: Southern part of Germany
Re: A wasp gets a caterpillar
very good wasp pictures and explanation