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- This page contains pictures and information about the Cuckoo Wasps that we
found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
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 - Body length 20mm
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- There are many Cuckoo Wasp species and they look similar. Usually they are metallic
blue or green in colour. Most species are external parasites of other wasp
larvae. Females lay eggs in nest of other wasps (Eumeninae
of Vespidae and Sphecidae) while the
nest host collect food for larvae. Cuckoo Wasp larvae hatch and feed on the
food or the host larvae.
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- The adult Cuckoo Wasp's back is well armoured and with abdomen concave
beneath. When disturbed, it curl up into a ball. This is a defense behavior
against the attack by angry nest host.
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- Cuckoo Wasps are common in Brisbane suburban. They are usually seen flying
slowly looking for wasp nest.
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- Large Cuckoo Wasp
 - Stilbum cyanurum, subfamily Chrysidinae, body length 20mm
- The wasp in the above photos was collected by
our friend Ben inside his house in Brisbane during mid summer. We set it free
after we took those photos.
- Reference
- 1. Insects
of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University
Press, 2nd Edition 1991, pp 973.
- 2. Stilbum
superbum - Insects of Townsville, Australia - Graeme Cocks, 2004
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- Small Cuckoo Wasp 1
 - ? sp., body length 10mm
- Pictures were taken near Bulimba Creek in Wishart on Oct 2007.
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- Small Cuckoo Wasp 2
 - ? sp., body length 10mm
- Pictures were taken in a bushland new Tingalpa Reservoir on Feb 2009, Those
small green wasps were usually found waiting near tree holes when other wasps
build the mud-cell nest.
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- Reference and Link:
- 1. Insects
of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University
Press, 2nd Edition 1991, pp 973.
- 2. A
field guide to insects in Australia - By Paul Zborowski and Ross
Storey, Reed New Holland, 1996, p187.
[ Up ] [ Family ICHNEUMONIDAE ] [ Family BRACONIDAE ] [ Family CHALCIDIDAE ] [ Family TORYMIDAE ] [ Family MYMARIDAE ] [ Family CHRYSIDIDAE ] [ Family Eupelmidae ] [ Other Parasitic Wasp ]
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