#cockroach wasp

[waspdaily]

the green wasp you posted reminded me of my favorite wasp, the emerald cockroach wasp! i'd love to see you feature them :)

Today's wasp of the day is the emerald cockroach wasp (Ampulex compressa)!

Credits: photo 1, photo 2

How do you solve the issue of your food staying fresh? Keep it alive! But if it's alive how do you keep it in place? Paralyze it— but its too heavy to move by yourself, so no, full paralysis won't cut it. So what else can you do? Perform a lobotomy of course!

The emerald cockroach wasp, also known as the jewel wasp, is able to target the exact spot in a cockroach's ganglion that basically controls its instinct to run away. With the roach subdued, the wasp will tug on the roach's antennae to lead it to its new home: a cozy little hole where it will simultaneously babysit and be eaten alive by the wasp's larvae over the course of roughly a week. Yay for bug on bug neuroscience!

[quilbug-cam]

I'm always so excited when i manage to get a descent shot of a bug that wont stop schmoovin

🪲ID Guess: Cockroach Wasps 🌿Date: April 2025

[ecuadorlife]

Cockroach Wasp, Ampulex sp. by Andreas Kay Via Flickr: from Ecuador: www.youtube.com/AndreasKay

[ecuadorlife]

Cockroach wasp by Andreas Kay Via Flickr: from Ecuador: www.youtube.com/AndreasKay Dear Friends of Ecuador, I have Glioblastoma and do not have the time to carefully edit my videos. If you are interested in my Macro Photo- and Videography techniques: www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=253542#253542

[ecuadorlife]

Emerald cockroach wasp or jewel wasp, Ampulex sp., Ampulicidae from Ecuador by Andreas Kay Via Flickr: The related species Ampulex compressa turns cockroaches into zombie slaves by two venomous stings and then leads the victim into the wasp's burrow where it lays an egg onto the roach's abdomen. The hatched wasp larva feeds on the still living cockroach. Jewel wasps have their metallic green-blue iridescence in common with Euglossine bees (Müllerian mimicry, photos at www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=75374522%40N06&q=Euglo...). Presumably predators (birds) have learned to avoid such shiny but stingy preys.

[ecuadorlife]

Emerald Cockroach Wasp or Jewel Wasp, Ampulex sp., Ampulicidae by Andreas Kay Via Flickr: The related species Ampulex compressa turns cockroaches into zombie slaves by two venomous stings and then leads the victim into the wasp's burrow where it lays an egg onto the roach's abdomen. The hatched wasp larva feeds on the still living cockroach. Jewel wasps have their metallic green-blue iridescence in common with Euglossine bees (Müllerian mimicry, photos at www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=75374522%40N06&q=Euglo...). Presumably predators (birds) have learned to avoid such shiny but stingy preys. from Ecuador: www.flickr.com/andreaskay/albums

[ecuadorlife]

Emerald cockroach wasp or jewel wasp, Ampulex sp., Ampulicidae by Andreas Kay Via Flickr: The related species Ampulex compressa turns cockroaches into zombie slaves by two venomous stings and then leads the victim into the wasp's burrow where it lays an egg onto the roach's abdomen. The hatched wasp larva feeds on the still living cockroach. Jewel wasps have their metallic green-blue iridescence in common with Euglossine bees (Müllerian mimicry, photos at www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=75374522%40N06&q=Euglo...). Presumably predators (birds) have learned to avoid such shiny but stingy preys. from Ecuador: www.flickr.com/andreaskay/albums

[ecuadorlife]

Emerald cockroach wasp or jewel wasp, Ampulex sp., Ampulicidae by Andreas Kay Via Flickr: The related species Ampulex compressa turns cockroaches into zombie slaves by two venomous stings and then leads the victim into the wasp's burrow where it lays an egg onto the roach's abdomen. The hatched wasp larva feeds on the still living cockroach. They have their metallic green-blue iridescence in common with Euglossini bees (Müllerian mimicry, photos at www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=75374522%40N06&q=Euglo...). Presumably predators (birds) have learned to avoid such stingy preys. from Ecuador: www.flickr.com/andreaskay/albums