#braconidwasp

[norfolknaturalist]

One of my most fascinating finds was seen in my backyard this week, on the window screen of my kitchen window. The clearly visible insect standing out is a dead (or very paralyzed) Spotted Ladybug (Coleomegilla maculata). The yellowish fibrous mass beneath it is the cocoon of another insect, the Ladybird Parasite Wasp (Dinocampus coccinellae). This tiny wasp lays its egg inside adult ladybugs, and the wasp larva feeds within while the ladybug continues its life as normal. Once the wasp larva has reached its final growth stage, it paralyzes the ladybug and emerges through its exoskeleton, to spin a cocoon beneath its host. Whole the wasp develops into an adult within its cocoon, the ladybug is in a semi-conscious state, which means that any predator approaching the vulnerable cocoon will be repelled. Essentially, the wasp has turned its ladybug host into a bodyguard for its most fragile stage of life. Perhaps most strangely of all, about a quarter of the ladybugs utilized in this way return to full alertness and carry on after the wasp has emerged as an adult. This amazing saga was happening in my own backyard. Stay home, and stay connected to the fascinating nature that's all around us. #nature #ontario #simcoeontario #dinocampuscoccinellae #parasitoid #parasitic #parasiticwasp #braconidwasp #hymenoptera #ladybug #insects_of_our_world #ecology #biology #bizarrenature #norfolkcounty #norfolkwild #nationalwildlifeweek2020 #nationalwildlifeweek #gardeninsects #gardenwildlife #backyardwildlife #macrophotography #invert_macro (at Simcoe, Ontario) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-t9c04gR9p/?igshid=b9etlngjmsv3

[thisbirdsabsurd]

Gaaah!!! Haven’t had to deal with tomato worms for ages! So gross but the chickens had some great snacks! Check out the second picture for the worms that got to stay in the garden (wasps have laid their eggs on them) #tomatoes #tomatohornworm #gardenpest #nhgarden #braconidwasp https://www.instagram.com/p/ChXz17XuYq_/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[homesteadhens]

Found while pruning the tomatoes! This is a tomato horn worm that has been parasitized by a braconid wasp. Those are the wasps eggs hanging off it! The developing larvae feed off the caterpillar until they emerge. Gross and so cool! I've actually never found a horn worm in my garden before so this was doubly exciting. #inthegarden #insects #nerd #tomatohornworm #braconidwasp (at Portage Lakes, Ohio) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGfnoGKnTZo/?igshid=13agoupwgiq2d

[wislander]

Tomato worm zombie sighting, better known as a horn worm infected with Braconid Wasp larvae helping to regulate my backyard garden ecosystem. #gardening #water #watering #sprinkler #backyard #homegrown #homegarden #gardenbox #peppers #tomatoes #hornworm #braconidwasp #larvae #pestcontrol (at Monticello, Illinois) https://www.instagram.com/p/CE2U5KiD63v/?igshid=17hepmor0u2c9

[seedkeeping]

Tomato Hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata) paralyzed and parasitized by the Braconid Wasp (Cotesia congregatus), which lays its eggs on the live hornworm to later hatch and eat the worm from the inside. We have carrot family flowers nearby, whose nectar attracts and feeds these wasps. #tomatohornworm #manducaquinquemaculata #braconidwasp #Cotesiacongregatu #integratedpestmanagement (at Delaware County, Pennsylvania)

[starpointestudio]

Braconid Wasp is complete! You can see the different layers of colors. The darkest key block really pulls it all together with some pop! #beneficialinsects #braconidwasp #tomatohornworm #printmaking #relief #engraving #letterpress #get_imprinted

[megadiversepiedmont]

Beneficial parisitism in the garden

Truly a sign of an organic garden is the tobacco hornworm (also a tomato pest) covered with braconid wasp cocoons. Note: somewhat graphic description to follow. The mother wasp lays her eggs just below the skin of the hornworm, along with a numbing/paralyzing agent so that the worm cannot move or fall off the branch. Once the larvae have hatched, they chew their way out of their host, and pupate, by spinning a tiny oval cocoon attached to the outer skin of the worm.

The above tobacco hornworm with cocoons was on one of my Dr. Walter tomato plants.

[redrooster1981-blog]

Green tomato horn worms are annoying to say the least BUT I have braconid wasp eggs on one here. They kill the horn worms for me and I leave these alone if I find them in my garden. #gardening #garden #naturalbornkillers #braconidwasp #2016 #mylittlehelpers

[hisj]

_Viminia rumicis_ ナシケンモン Moth, Caterpillar, Braconid Wasp, Parasitic at 総社緑地 by Hisao J on EyeEm

[starpointestudio]

Five colors/runs down, one more to go! #braconidwasp #tomatohornworm #beneficialinsects #highimpactpolystyrene #engraving #relief #printmaking #letterpress

[starpointestudio]

Tomato hornworm has some nasty friends #braconidwasp #beneficialinsects #printmaking #woodengraving #wip

[seedkeeping]

Tobacco Hornworms have black dots outlining their white stripes and have red horns. When they become Hawk Moths, they have six dots on their wings. Tomato Hornworms become Hawk Moths with five dots. They are all over my Puerto Rican Mountain Tobacco plants and my Cape Goose Berries right now. Many have been parasitized by Braconid Wasps, which paralyze with a sting, then lay eggs (cocoons) that will hatch, and whose babies will feed on the worm. Also, as you can see in the final photos, perhaps this traffic jam is the reason for the rear-end horns? To keep faster munchers at knife-point while you eat as slow as you'd like? #braconidwasp #tobaccohornworm #Manducasexta @ Delaware County, Pennsylvania

[seedkeeping]

The first Tomato Hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata) I've seen all year that hasn't yet been paralyzed and parasitized by the sting of the Braconid Wasp (Cotesia congregatus) who then lays her little white eggs all over its body to hatch and feast. Nope! This one is alive and well and crawling down the spiky stem of a Morelle de Balbis, or Lichi Tomato (Solanum sisymbriifolium), whose berries taste like cherries when cooked. #tomatohornworm #manducaquinquemaculata #braconidwasp #Cotesiacongregatu #integratedpestmanagement #roughwoodseedcollection #kutztownseedfarm #morelledebalbis #lichitomato #stickynightshade #Solanumsisymbriifolium (at The Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center)

[seedkeeping]

Tomato Hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata) paralyzed and parasitized by the Braconid Wasp (Cotesia congregatus), which lays its eggs on the live hornworm to later hatch and eat the worm from the inside. We have dill and other flowers nearby, whose nectar attracts and feeds these wasps. In the lower right corner is me at 17 with big hair in my garden with what was probably my first hornworm sighting. #tomatohornworm #manducaquinquemaculata #braconidwasp #Cotesiacongregatu #integratedpestmanagement #flashbackfriday #roughwoodseedcollection (at Devon, Pennsylvania)

[hisj]

_Viminia rumicis_ ナシケンモン Moth, Caterpillar, Braconid Wasp, Parasitic at 総社緑地 by Hisao J on EyeEm