Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Yay for Hymenoptera Braconidae

Yep, that's right, we've got Parasitic Wasps. Yay!!!! Here they are eating a hornworm:
The wasp pupae are the little white grains of rice on the worm. Eventually, they will kill the worm and eat it. Furthermore, they are called 'wasps' but they aren't harmful to humans. Is it any wonder that some people will pay good money to buy some of these wasps to naturally control garden pests like caterpillars, ants, and aphids?

2 comments:

The Spiteful Chef said...

Whoa, whoa, whoa. So you're saying there's a kind of wasp that is incapable of harming my immediate person? I have not heard of such a thing, nor do I fully believe you.

Hymenoptera are a whole legion of biting/stinging insects that people are allergic to. Would this be called hymenoptera if it couldn't bite or sting? If so, how would we get an allergic reaction from it? Do you see why I'm skeptical? I'll have to consult my physician, and if I know him, he's going to scream like a girl as soon as I say the words "parasitic wasp." Eliminating his usefulness entirely.

Frodo said...

Spiteful Chef, you're probably wrong. Many wasps don't sting humans, such as these:

http://www.pacifichorticulture.org/articles/braconid-wasps/