A super tiny parasitoid wasp investigating some possible host scale insects.

#nature #Photography #Wasp #Insects #Parasitoid #Chalcid #SriLanka #InsectInteraction

My newest #Prelights article highlights a #preprint by B. R. Baisla et al. (2025) and their search for morphological #prezygotic #barriers to reduce #hybridization among the species complex of #Nasonia, #parasitoid wasps. Male genital morphology apparently does not prevent hybridization, pre-mating #barriers are still unknown.
©#StefanFWirth 2026

Reference

Prelights article by Stefan F. Wirth:
https://prelights.biologists.com/highlights/morphological-variations-in-external-genitalia-do-not-explain-the-interspecific-reproductive-isolation-in-nasonia-species-complex-hymenoptera-pteromalidae/

Pics
1) public domain, M.E.Clark, 2006,
2) ©S.F.Wirth, AI illustration

Parasitoid (Parasitology 🧬)

In evolutionary ecology, a parasitoid is an organism that lives in close association with its host at the host's expense, eventually resulting in the death of the host. Parasitoidism is one of six major evolutionary strategies within parasitism, distinguished by the fatal prognosis for the host, which makes the strategy close to predation. Among parasitoids, str...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasitoid

#Parasitoid #Parasitism #Parasitology #BiologicalPestControl

Shown is a #fly of the #genus #Sarcophaga, not being determined on a #specieslevel. It belongs to the #cryptic S. carnaria-#speciesgroup S. #carnaria itself is distributed throughout the #Palearctic region and is a #parasitoid of earthworms. H. E. Moore et al. (2021) used #cuticularhydrocarbon (CHC) profiles to differentiate 11 Sarcophaga species (including S. carnaria) from each other
© #StefanFWirth #Berlin 2025

Ref
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-87221-y

#Photos
© S. F. Wirth

eine Riesen-Blutbiene Sphecodes albilabris auf einer Wiesen-Witwenblume.
woher das 'riesen-' kommt ist mir nicht klar, die war kleiner als eine honigbiene. es gibt wohl noch kleinere blutbienen.

#insekten #insects #bees #wildbienen #parasitoid #krabbeltierchen #AuwaldRunde #nature #biodiversity

After a bit of canvassing, apparently this is a two-spotted blue hairy flower #wasp (#Laeviscolia frontalis)

A #parasitoid with #pollination inclination

Seen on Flinders Uni Bedford Park campus yesterday