Tiny wasps

[alfbranch]

Here are some shots of some tiny wasps I observed on Cinnabar caterpillars and ragwort flowers. I have not observed any egg laying. I estimate they are about 1.7 mm long

This is a heavy crop of a 2:1 shot

Tiny wasp by Alf Branch, on Flickr

Wasp on cinnabar caterpillar 1 by Alf Branch, on Flickr

Wasp on cinnabar caterpillar 2 by Alf Branch, on Flickr

Wasps on ragwort 2 by Alf Branch, on Flickr

Wasps on ragwort 3 by Alf Branch, on Flickr

Wasps on ragwort by Alf Branch, on Flickr

 

[woof woof]

Amazing. I think I'd have thought they were ants.

Well spotted and taken Alf

 

[Gav.]

Beautiful set, Alf, that's a gathering and a half

 

[Crotal Bell]

Love those, fantastic little bugs.

 

[Goldthirst]

A great selection there.

 

[Cobra]

Great detail as always Alf

 

[alfbranch]

Amazing. I think I'd have thought they were ants.

Well spotted and taken Alf

Thanks Alan
You probably wouldn't have seen the at all. I only saw them because of shot of a caterpillar when back at the computer and then I went back to look for them. I only noticed them on the flower when I saw them through the macro lens when shooting a fly.

Beautiful set, Alf, that's a gathering and a half

Thanks Gav
If they were communal waps it would be swarm.

Love those, fantastic little bugs.

Thanks Keith

A great selection there.

Thanks Andrew

Great detail as always Alf

Thanks Chris.

 

[Paul Iddon]

Looks like all males Alf - no ovi-pisitors that can see.

Paul.

 

[Hadron]

Great shots, they’re really quite elegant little things aren’t they

 

[alfbranch]

Looks like all males Alf - no ovi-pisitors that can see.

Paul.

The behaiour was suggested as "I wonder whether they might be feeding on some exudate of the larvae."

I am not so sure that all are males I was told this was a female
In fact Eulophidae (Chalcidoidea), female

Very small wasp by Alf Branch, on Flickr

 

[hockeyboy150]

Fascinating creatures. I've just read a book called Endless Forms, about Wasps. Super shots Alf. Your example here is one of the reasons I got into photography. Taking a photo and going home to find something in it you missed or being able to identify something you saw.

 

[alfbranch]

Fascinating creatures. I've just read a book called Endless Forms, about Wasps. Super shots Alf. Your example here is one of the reasons I got into photography. Taking a photo and going home to find something in it you missed or being able to identify something you saw.

Much more interesting than butterflies IMO. I took a passable caterpillar shot which was OK and noticed the wasps when viewing the shots on the computer. I then went back to photograph the wasps twice before getting what I wanted.