Hyperparasitism: a caterpillar bears cocoons of Braconid wasp parasite, and an adult Calcid wasp which parasitizes the cocoons.

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Chalcid wasp in the Pteromalidae family on cocoons of parasitic wasps attached to a catalpa sphinx moth caterpillar The cocoons likely belong to Cotesia sp a Braconid wasp and this Pteromalid wasp is likely a hiperparasite of Cotesia Cotesia parasitizes on the caterpillar Then the hiperparasite attacks the larvae of Cotesia and the adults of the hiperparasite emerge from the cocoons instead of Cotesia

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Size: 5592px × 3728px
Location: Virginia, USA
Photo credit: © B. Mete Uz / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: bugs, catalpa, catalpae, caterpillar, ceratomia, cocoon, cotesia, hiperparasite, hiperparasitism, hyperparasite, insect, insects, moth, mothceratomia, parasite, parasitic, parasitism, sphinx, sphynx, wasp, wasps