Acacia Beetls often lay their eggs in the dead, curled tip of a young leaf. I don't know if they make the leaf like this or if it's a coincidence. I saw a wasp similar to this one on a few different clutches of beetle eggs and I know wasps like to parasitise other insect eggs. I don't know if that's a coincidence either. Oxley Creek, QLD.
At a tiny 3mm long (max) I had no idea of how beautiful this little wasp was. She's a metallic gold and was very busy populating these bug eggs with her offspring. You can just see her starting to pierce the bug egg with her ovipositor. She is actually looking for the eggs of another wasp that has already parasitised these eggs. Mount Ommaney, QLD.
Tiny hyperparasitoid wasp (3mm long, max) investigates which of these bug eggs are most viable for her own egg deposit. She spent quite a lot of time wandering around 'feeling' with her antennae trying to work out where to lay her eggs. She is actually looking for the eggs of another wasp that has already parasitised these eggs. Mount Ommaney, QLD.
