Found a paper wasp nest with nearly 100% of its cells parasitized by moths. These are the cocoons.
These moths lay their eggs on the developing wasp larvae at night, which hatch once the larvae cap their cells. They're then eaten alive and the wasps can't do anything about it.
These moths lay their eggs on the developing wasp larvae at night, which hatch once the larvae cap their cells. They're then eaten alive and the wasps can't do anything about it.
During my paper wasp research in PA, my nests sometimes got up to ~20% parasitized by moths. My wasps were a native species, which has coevolved with these moths. The nest above is that of an invasive paper wasp, Polistes dominula, which may not have evolved adequate defenses.
Here are some images I took when dissecting paper wasp nests in 2018. Pretty gnarly.
https://twitter.com/SwipeWright/status/1016470360747925504?s=20
I am tempted to do some popular science writing on paper wasp behavior and natural history. They're freakin' cool.
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