I’ve had this picture on my camera roll for almost a year now and I figured I should finally get to posting it. If you’re wondering what this scorpion looking flying insect is, it’s the Pelecinus polyturator, a type of wasp. The adults drink nectar and are pretty harmless, unless you’re a June Bug. That’s what that extremely long tail is for. It’s an ovipositor, which is essentially a limb for laying eggs. These particular wasps are parasitoids and lay their eggs inside of June Bug larvae underground. What’s cooler? They are parthenogenic which means females don’t require fertilization by a male to reproduce. How awesome is that?!?!
Dispatches from Somewhere #1: What a Wasp
