Small Chalcid Wasp

thanks again john. Thanks for the comment Mark. :)

Well all that will keep the grey cells exercised for many days. Thanks :-)

Yes it is often the case that more than one wasp will lay eggs in the same host. It is probably not a response to any recessive problems, just wasps trying to maximise the number of genes they pass on (insects don't think in terms of recessive problems - they produce far too many offspring to worry about it). Some wasps will adjust their sex ratio when they sense other females have been around and lay more male eggs. If it is just a single female, she will often produce only a few males and lots of females because she knows the males can mate with multiple females. If they know there are others females around, they will increase the number of male offspring so they have a better chance of competing with females (both from their mother and from other mothers). Hymenoptera can adjust their offspring because they have haplo-diploid sex determination. So, a fertilised egg becomes a female and an unfertilised egg becomes a male. Once a female had mated, she can in some cases choose whether to fertilise the egg as she is laying it.

John La Salle, I saw two wasps possibly parasitize the same pupa. That means there are possibilities that the vespas inside is not all sisters, but from different individuals? So they can mate without recessive problems? The wasps were caught parasitizing the pupa on 19 March (I suppose they were parasitized). On 21 March to pupa left to react when I touch it, I interpret this as a sign that the pupa is dead and the larvae emerge their eggs. On 23, today, I opened the pupa. I should have opened yesterday because I wanted to photograph the larvae before they enter pre-pupal stage. I'm not entirely sure, but wasps are ready to emerge within 7-8 days. For now, I have no more information. I am using the google translator, I'm sorry if I wrote something wrong. Thanks.

Muito obrigada, Sergio.

Nice new photos. You actually have produced better biological information on this wasp (whatever species it is) than we have for most parasitoids.

Absolutamente fantástico, Sckel. Parabéns.

Hi John La Salle, I added two new photos, photos the larvae. These photos were taken this morning. I made a small opening in the pupa. Thank you for all the information that you added to that spotting. You're great.

Rearing these wasps can be very difficult and frustrating (and is almost more of an art than a science). You did a good job with the first one to get the adults to come out. It is often a very difficult balance between keeping things from drying out and getting them so moist that they get all mouldy. Try and keep conditions as close to natural as possible. Make sure that containers are not completely sealed. If you are going to put them in a jar, don't use a lid but cover the top with a piece of tissue or cloth held on with an elastic band. I often do just what you did - put them on soft paper inside the container. If you have a place outside where you can leave them (a shed or a porch) it sometimes works better. Timing is also important - you have a much better chance of rearing things out if you can collect them when the wasp is very late larva or pupa. I wish I could tell you more - but sometimes it is just luck.

Thank you, John La Salle. I found another pupa on Thursday. I photographed the exact moment that the wasp parasitizing the pupa. I am aware, I open it when the larvae have hatched eggs. The pupa is still moving when I touch, it means that the larvae have not hatched yet. I must say that all the wasps that are in the first picture died. I put the pupa on a soft paper and closed in a container, safe from ants. The process was not concluded. I cannot understand because they withered and died. I suppose that within the closed pupa something keeps the humid wasps, so until they are ready to emergir, they do not survive outside the pupa.

Thanks Fyn.

Wow congratulations Sckel. Good luck with it - it is a good combination of nice photography and very cool biology.

Your spotting has been nominated for the Spotting of the Week. The winner will be chosen by the Project Noah Rangers based on a combination of factors including: uniqueness of the shot, status of the organism (for example, rare or endangered), quality of the information provided in the habitat and description sections. There is a subjective element, of course; the spotting with the highest number of Ranger votes is chosen. Congratulations on being nominated!

thanks for your comments, bonner54 and bonner513 :D

so cute

awwwww

that looks way groser than a wasp

thank you, thank you and thank you guys. :)

amazing pictures !

Very nice!

Wow..what a great spotting Kel..And nice information by John La Salle. Never heard about something like this..:) Good way to know new concepts with your awesome photos series :)

thank you very much to all. :DDDDD I learned a lot in noah, with great people

Sckel, Absolutely brilliant ! Your photos are great and we've learnt so much from John la Salle via this spotting. Thanks.

Brilliant spotting. Thanks.

Sckel...I am gobsmacked...mating within the pupa...the things they never taught us in class. ThanK You so much.

Lovely series Sckel and awesome information John!

thank you all for your comments, maria, sunny josef, Daniele and john again. I've seen wasps largest Conura, about 1 cm. I see other parasitoids wasps like yellow Conura, however are black and very small. Thank you for your information. I'm still perplexed to know that wasps can mate within the pupa, did not know this was common. o.o