Cuckoo Wasp
Chrysis angolensis
Adult cuckoo wasps patrol sunny, dry habitats where solitary bees and wasps build nests, including bare ground, dead wood, and masonry. They feed mainly on flower nectar, while females enter or wait near host nests to lay eggs in the brood cells. Their vivid metallic sheen comes from the structure of the exoskeleton rather than pigment. When threatened, many cuckoo wasps curl into a tight ball, protecting their softer underside with heavily sculptured armor.
- Type
- Wing
- Conservation status
- NE
Growth chain
- ?
- ?
- Cuckoo Wasp