Peacock egg parasites

[Padfield]

Matt R and I watched a female peacock laying eggs today. No sooner had she laid them, than they were attended by some small dark flies/hymenopterids:







Are these parasites? Is the one on the right in the middle picture laying eggs in eggs, or just having difficulty walking over them?

Guy

PS - between the first and last pictures came this:



She looks as if she might be up for a little egg-laying too...

[NickB]

Great shots of the wasps - I guess we shouldn't be surprised that these things are attuned to the laying of eggs, but fascinating stuff.
..oh..and we aren't jealous of your Camberwell Beauty at all, are we?
N

[Padfield]

Thanks Nick. No intention of making you jealous...

Matt's photos of the peacock (peahen?) actually laying the eggs show the wasps were there even then, during laying, as if waiting to pounce. He wondered if the reason they lay in these untidy heaps is so at least some of the eggs are in the middle of the pile, untouchable by the parasites. Some other species lay with such care, but peacocks just seem to squirt them out like toothpaste.

Guy