Ruby Tailed Wasp Uk

Chrysis ignita also known as the ruby tailed wasp is a species of cuckoo wasps cuckoo wasps are kleptoparasites they lay their eggs in the nests of other wasp species and their young consume the eggs or larva of the host wasp for sustenance.

Ruby tailed wasp uk.

Beautiful ruby tailed or jewel wasps. These wasps have a number of adaptions which have evolved to equip them for their life cycle. It is a huge group with many species and a diverse range of forms. It is likely to be a chrysidid cuckoo wasp a family of parasitoid and cleptoparasitic wasps.

Queens are up to 40mm long loudly buzzing and inquisitive. Ruby tailed wasps have a very hard body cuticle that protects them from the stings of the host species if they are discovered in the act of laying their eggs in the host s nest. Chrysis ignita parasitize mason bees in particular. The green ruby tailed wasp is a parasite of other wasps including the bramble wasp.

It has a characteristic black anchor mark on its face. There are several species of ruby tailed wasps in the uk and ignita above is the one most frequently seen. The glittering metallic ruby tailed wasp is one of many species of solitary bee and wasp that can be spotted in a number of habitats from walls to sandy quarries rocky outcrops to tree trunks. There are several species of social wasp in the uk that can only be distinguished by their face patterns if you fancy getting that close.

It will seek out and lay eggs in a host s nest. European hornet vespa crabro illustration of the brown orange and yellow european hornet. Their beautiful colours mask the intentions of this assassin. They re all beautifully coloured with red blue green and bronze metallic colours.

Solitary bees and wasps do not live in colonies like honey bees. Being barely 10mm in length they can be difficult to spot. Rich brown and orange yellow. The common wasp has a black and yellow striped body with an obvious waist between the thorax and abdomen.

In bright sunlight the vivid metallic colours of their bodies appear very jewel like. Ruby tailed wasps are often called cuckoo wasps because they lay their eggs in the nests of other insects usually other wasp and bee species. The name hymenoptera means membrane wings. Instead the female builds a nest by herself stocks it with pollen and lays an egg.

A typical hymenopteran has 2 pairs of wings though they are coupled together with tiny hooks so appear as 1 pair. The head and thorax are a dazzling greenish blue and the abdomen is a firey red. That flash of iridescent metallic blue green you observed near your solitary bee nest box was probably a wasp. Bees wasps and ants are all part of an insect order called hymenoptera.