"So, naturalists observe, a flea has smaller fleas that on him prey; and these have smaller still to bite ’em; and so proceed ad infinitum."
- Jonathan Swift

November 4, 2010

November 4 - Camptopteroides verrucosa

Camptopteroides verrucosa is a species of fairyfly (family Mymaridae) - which is to say that it's not a fly at all, but rather a tiny little wasp. The very largest of these wasps only has a wingspan of 3 millimeters, so we are definitely talking tiny! Although not much is known about them, it has been observed that they can move and even mate underwater. The females inject their eggs into those of other insects and use an enormous variety of different hosts. These little parasitoids have recently been used in biocontrol efforts.

2 comments:

  1. what are those wasps being used for?

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  2. They release them in areas where there are other insect pests. These parasitoid wasps lay eggs in other insects' eggs, which will eventually destroy the larvae.

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