A fly I found, on Haw Park Lane on 30.08.13, turned out to be a Wasp-nest beetle, a 1st record for the Wintersett Area. Many thanks to Oyxcera for initial ID, and Mike Denton for confirming the record.
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| Metoecus paradoxus ASmith |
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| Metoecus paradoxus ASmith |
This beetle is a rather odd-looking, almost fly-like, insect about 10 mms long with narrow pointed elytra (wing case), which do not completely cover the wings or abdomen. It has feathery antennae and is a parasite of wasps' nests.
This species has a fascinating life history which was only worked out in
Victorian times. The adult lays eggs on rotting wood in the hope that a
wasp will visit to harvest wood fibre for its nest. If one does, the
beetle larva tries to climb onto the back of the wasp to be transported
to the nest. It then seeks out a wasp grub and parasitises it. The
beetle grows and pupates and emerges as an adult just after the time the
wasp would have done. (Information from naturespot.org.uk)
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