Gruesome ending....

[Sylvie_h]

While in France in July, I found a caterpillar of the spotted fritillary which unfortunately had been parasitized by a wasp ... nature can be so gruesome.... Any idea of what kind of wasp could have parasitized it ?
Sylvie

[Padfield]

Hi Sylvie. In 2010 I photographed the same thing:



I don't know what the parasitic species is.

Guy

[Sylvie_h]

Thanks Guy, that would be interesting to find out, I will try to find some information and will post it if I find out.
Sylvie

[Chris Jackson]

Thanks for sharing those photos, Sylvie and Guy.
Very interesting.
Chris

[Roger Gibbons]

Probably Cotesia hispanica - and the only reason I know this is because I looked it up on the Filming Var Wild web site.

Here is the link, and there is also a YouTube video of M. didyma being parasitised.

http://www.filming-varwild.com/p-braconidae.html

Pieter Kan is one of the leading experts on parasitoids in Europe.

Roger

[Sylvie_h]

Hi Roger,

Thank you for this, this is fascinating. The poor caterpillar having to stay alive when all this frenzy happens : larva coming out of the body, imago emerging and males waiting for females to get the chance to mate.....
Thanks
Sylvie

[David M]

Gruesome indeed! I've only ever seen this type of predation on Large White larvae but yes, it is a cruel way for a caterpillar to end its life.