Some autumn pictures
Re: Some autumn pictures
is it known how the parasitic wasps find the eggs? Do they have some means of detecting them from a distance, follow the females around or simply rely on blind luck?
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Re: Some autumn pictures
Matt Rowlings and I watched a female peacock laying this summer and parasitic wasps were present even as the eggs came out of her bottom.
Of course, peacocks are very different from WLH, and the egg-laying strategy is quite different. But it shows that in principle wasps are capable of following a butterfly and watching for her to start laying.
These are the eggs and wasps immediately after laying:


Guy
Of course, peacocks are very different from WLH, and the egg-laying strategy is quite different. But it shows that in principle wasps are capable of following a butterfly and watching for her to start laying.
These are the eggs and wasps immediately after laying:


Guy
Guy's Butterflies: https://www.guypadfield.com
The Butterflies of Villars-Gryon : https://www.guypadfield.com/villarsgryonbook.html
The Butterflies of Villars-Gryon : https://www.guypadfield.com/villarsgryonbook.html