Template:POTD/2009-01-07

Picture of the day

A series of photos showing the process of oviposition in an Ichneumon wasp, which lays its eggs inside or near the maggots or caterpillars of other insects, where they hatch and then eat their host from inside.

1. Listening for a host with its antennae
2. Drilling a hole through the bark with the longer ovipositor
3. Inserting the ovipositor into the cavity which contains the host larva
4. Adjusting the ovipositor position
5. Beginning the egg-depositing
6. Depositing eggs

Photo credit: Richard Bartz