Thanks! so this guy is dead? I thought that the larvae developed inside of the caterpillar. I still found it quite strange to see this guy all flat between those cocoons. Great parasitic relationship.
Greetings!! Great Shot!!! This looks like the work of a parasitic wasp that paralyses a caterpillar with its sting and then lays its eggs directly into it. The young larva hatch and eat the caterpillar from the inside finally emerging to spin cocoons for themselves and develop into adult wasps. According to my search there are around 200 species of caterpillar wasp in Costa Rica and each one favours a caterpillar. Hope this helps!!! I will let you know if a find something.
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I know, I have a wasp here in South Africa doing the same thing and it caught me way off guard until I found out what is was. Very cool spotting!!!
Thanks! so this guy is dead? I thought that the larvae developed inside of the caterpillar. I still found it quite strange to see this guy all flat between those cocoons. Great parasitic relationship.
Greetings!! Great Shot!!! This looks like the work of a parasitic wasp that paralyses a caterpillar with its sting and then lays its eggs directly into it. The young larva hatch and eat the caterpillar from the inside finally emerging to spin cocoons for themselves and develop into adult wasps. According to my search there are around 200 species of caterpillar wasp in Costa Rica and each one favours a caterpillar. Hope this helps!!! I will let you know if a find something.