Thread-waisted Wasps may look fragile, but they have tremendous strength in their small bodies, tackling hefty caterpillars on a daily basis.
Thread-waisted Wasps are also known as Needle-waisted Wasps. It is hard to believe that fluids can pass through such a narrow center, but it works. They frequent blossoms to drink from and hunt on. Popular plant varieties to check are asters, Queen Anne's lace, horsemint, and goldenrod. The black body can appear blue in some light and the thorax has white spots on near the joints where the legs connect. They have strong jaws and are nimble in flight.
Found on flowers either mating, searching for caterpillars, or drinking nectar, female Thread-waisted Wasps work hard to ensure the next generation gets a great start. She builds a burrow and fills it with fertilized eggs. She hunts and tackles a plump caterpillar and stings it, paralyzing, but not killing it. She then hauls the paralyzed caterpillar back to her burrow and places it next to her eggs. She carefully covers the entrance of her burrow with dirt, debris and rocks to hide it from things that would eat her eggs and rob her of all her hard work. Once hatched, the wasp larvae feed on the still living, but immobile caterpillar until they pupate. When they emerge as winged adults, the search for nectar to drink and a mate begins anew.
Note: An insect's reach is not limited by lines drawn on a map and therefore species may appear in areas, regions and/or states beyond those listed above as they are driven by environmental factors (such as climate change), available food supplies and mating patterns. Grayed-out selections indicate that the subject in question has not been reported in that particular territory. U.S. states and Canadian provinces / territories are clickable to their respective bug listings.
Ant, Bee, and Wasp Anatomy
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Antennae: Ants and Bees both have a pair of antennae on the head that senses their surroundings.
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Head: The head contains the insect's compound eyes, antennae, and mandibles.
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Thorax: Contains various vital parts such as the aorta and nervous system.
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Abdomen: Contains various organs including the heart, gut, venom glands, and anus.
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Legs: Ants and Bees have three pairs of legs attached to the thorax (center-body section).
NOTE: Ants, Bees and Wasps are part of the Hymenoptera order because they share many similarities.
Colors: black, white
