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Animalia >Arthropoda >Insecta >Hymenoptera >Trichogrammatidae >Prestwichia >

Swimming behavior of a parasitic wasp. Many insects, such as dragonflies, diving beetles, and caddisflies, lay eggs in the water. Are their eggs free from parasitic wasps? The presence of wasps that parasitize eggs of dragonflies and diving beetles has been known for a long time as many people studied ecology of these insects. The wasp that parasitizes diving-beetle eggs is Prestwichia aquatica and was discovered in 1863. The one that parasitizes dragonfly eggs was first recorded in 1912. However, how these wasps reach eggs in the water and succeed in parasitizing them was unknown until recently. Hard work of Dr. Ursov of Ukraine revealed their behavior in detail. In the video, an adult wasp is swimming in the water. You can see it swim rapidly in the water using its legs. It swims up-side down near the water surface. Wings are folded on the back in the water whereas they are open when the insect walks on a tree branches and leaves. Egg-laying behavior in the water is recorded in a separate file.

(Data No.momo050101pa01b)

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