Ichneumon Wasp

Ichneumon wasps parasitize other insects by laying eggs in their host’s larvae. The developing young wasps devour the larvae as they grow, often eliminating pests harmful to humans. The female of this species drills through bark with her long egg-laying structure, called an ovipositor, to deposit an egg on the larva of the giant wood wasp, Uocerus gigus.

J.A.L. Cooke/Oxford Scientific Films

Female Ichneumon Wasp Laying Eggs," Microsoft® Encarta® 96 Encyclopedia. © 1993-1995 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.


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