Carnivorous Wasp

[Barney]

I am just getting the barbi' on for a couple of steaks and cant believe what I just witnessed.

A wasp came along and started to gnaw off a piece of my steak, it proceeded to remove a piece about 5mm Square and flew off with it . whats that all about?

I admit its a bit awkward to make out but its just about to fly off with a chunk in its mandibles.

I have just been informed that its back for more as I write this.

 

[Goatboy]

Oh Waspies do like their protien...

 

[silvergirl]

Yup, Wasp grubs need lots of protein (meat etc) and in return the adults get fed by the sugary excreations of the grubs.

The adults get really p'd off in laste summer when all the grubs have gone and taken their food suply with them.

I once watched a wasp fight with then remove the body of a particulary large spider and fly off with it back to the nest for the yung uns.

 

[Melonfish]

yup wasps are actually carnivorous in the larval stage where the adults like the sweet things in life, and late summer when all the grubs are gone the adult wasps go out hanging round bins and generally making a nusance of themselves. early on in the year they're actually good at getting rid of insect pests.

 

[Asa Samuel]

Carnivorous? Parasitic wasps scare the bejesus out of me. I would NOT want to be a bug while they were around!

 

[gregorach]

You think parasitic wasps are bad? You've clearly never encountered the human botfly. In bad cases, the larvae have even been known to make it into people's brains.