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Caenochrysis sp.
The Cuckoo Wasps are so incredibly beautiful with jeweled metallic colors which are structural in nature. While not rare, it is rare to actually find one to photograph. This one was trapped in the window of a restaurant and while still alive, it was weak and declining rapidly. This one is a female with a short dark ovipositor, 8 mm in length. Members of the subfamily Chrysidinae are kleptoparasitic, depositing their eggs in the nests of other bee and wasp species. Their larvae feed and kill the host species, using their nests for protection and pupation.The wasps of this subfamily have a flattened or concave under surface of the abdomen (see last picture). Family Chrysididae (which in latin refers to a "gold embroidered dress").
Chiflón Waterfall Park, Chiapas, Mexico.
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/250804-... https://bugguide.net/node/view/345466/bg...
Spotted on May 30, 2019
Submitted on Jun 9, 2019
1 Comment
Everything seems to glitter in Mexico. This is so gorgeous, but a pity she died. Lovely spotting, Lauren.