Een kleine zwarte wesp met dunne lichte banden om het achterlijf, zit op de uitgebloeide bloemen van het duizendblad. A small black wasp with thin light bands around its abdomen sits on the dead flowers of the yarrow.

Dezelfde kleine wesp, maar nu op de houten rand van het bijenhotel. The same small wasp, but now on the wooden edge of the bee hotel.

Is het een vlieg ? Is het een bij ?
Nee, het is een kleine knotswesp !
(Een kleine parasiet bij het bijenhotel.)

Is it a fly? Is it a bee?
No, it's a Sapygidae !
(A small parasite on the insect hotel.)

#insecten #insects #wespen #wasps #Sapygidae #bijenhotel #insecthouse

Side macro view of the wasp’s head and thorax. The compound eye dominates the foreground, dotted with minuscule ommatidia. Yellow markings are irregularly shaped and scattered across the head and thorax, with short, bristly hairs covering the surface. The antenna and base of the transparent wing are visible, as well as the deep black and glossy yellow coloration of the body, which is covered in dew. The wing veins are highlighted in amber.

Extreme close-up of a wasp’s face, showing the head of Sapyga centrata. The black surface is densely textured with tiny hairs and droplets of moisture. Yellow markings sharply contrast the matte black exoskeleton, particularly around the eyes and mouthparts. The compound eyes are glossy and domed. The segmented antennae frame the image from each side, reddish brown with fine surface texture. The detail reveals the precise structure and setae on the insect’s head.

Full body lateral view of Sapyga centrata mounted on a pin. The wasp is mostly black with prominent yellow patches along the thorax, legs, and abdomen. The wings are iridescent with yellow patches visible through the transparent membranes. One antenna curves forward. Fine body hairs catch the light. The pin is slightly visible in the background, indicating a collection specimen.

Side view of a Sapyga centrata wasp clinging to a black mesh screen. The wasp’s body is elongated and banded with vivid yellow and black stripes, particularly on the abdomen. The thorax is densely textured and marked with bright yellow spots. Its wings are partially spread and iridescent, reflecting rainbow hues. The wasp’s legs and antennae are clearly visible, with the forelegs bent and gripping the mesh. The mesh pattern provides a geometric background that contrasts with the organic form of the wasp.

Likely Sapyga centrata, a kleptoparasitic wasp of the family #Sapygidae. The first larva kills the bee host and any siblings of the bee, then consumes the provisions. It spins a cocoon and overwinters in the host nest.
🌿 #invertefest #bugsky #Invertebrate #entomology