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Eucharitidae
I'm Spartacus! Really really tiny, maybe less than 3mm. It was just sitting there not moving at all on a leaf. I was attracted to it by its Spartacus head-dress. Think the best I could go is it is a Chalcid wasp but unsure. Any additional info is greatly appreciated.
Mangrove, secondary forest
Congratulations, AzlinSani, on the SOTD for that gorgeous Eucharitid wasp, well deserved!!
Thank you all for the comments! Now I have a better understanding of this little gladiator. ProjectNoah rocks and the people in it are awesome.
Congrats Azlin! This wonderful gladiator wasp has earned you spotting of he day.
The larvae of Eucharitid wasps attach themselves to passing ants and are carried into their nest. Once the wasps emerge, the ant colony grooms and feeds them as if they were part of the their brood. They are able to keep themselves safe by mimicking the odor of their host.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=...
https://twitter.com/projectnoah/status/2...
That is one lovely wasp, great spotting! and thank you for sharing.