Ruby-tailed wasp
I went for a trip to Noar hill NR in Hampshire today to see the wonderful wild orchids that grow there.
Sadly (because this season is a bit early) most of the Common spotted and Chalk fragrant orchids were already over, There were however plenty of Pyramidal orchids still in bloom and the best show I have ever seen of the tiny and pretty Musk orchid. There were also lots of horseflies!
On my way back to the car I noticed this beautiful Ruby-tailed wasp Chrysis spp sitting on the gate. These tiny frenetic little wasps never keep still so I was jolly lucky to get any photo at all, let alone one in focus! These wasps lay their eggs in the burrows of solitary bees, where they feed on the hatching larvae.....strange something so beautiful can be so nasty!!
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