Wasp Eating Hornworm--Pics!

[baymule]

My husband called me out to the garden yesterday. I didn't know a red wasp would eat a hornworm!

 

[catjac1975]

I think the wasp is laying eggs in the hornworm. As they grow they will eat the hornworm. You will soon see growths come out of it's back.

 

[baymule]

No, this hornworm was practically beheaded and the wasp was definately eating it. The wasp was having a hard time hanging onto the worm, so my husband slid a piece of stiff plastic under the worm and put it on the brick path, wasp and all. The wasp never stopped eating the worm, just hung on for the ride!

 

[catjac1975]

Wow!!! I want some of those wasps!

 

[hoodat]

In Spring wasps live almost entirely on nectar and pollen. As the season wears on they become more and more carnivorous. I seldom have trouble with cabbage worms because the wasps eat them.

 

[Carol Dee]

Score one for the wasps. I am nt crazy about wasps but would rather have them around than the hornworm.

 

[Kassaundra]

Last year I saw and photographed a wasp eating a worm, it was to far gone to tell what kind it was, but it was in the hot part of the summer after everything wild had gone brown and crunchy. If you see a horn worm covered in eggs like that pic DO NOT KILL IT OR FEED IT TO THE CHICKENS let it live even if you loose a couple of stems of leaves it will be worth it in the long run b/c it will hatch out preditory wasps.

 

[vfem]

We see this happening in our garden too. Isn't it the GREATEST!!!

I saw a small black wasp gather up a caterpillar and carry it over to a round mud ball (apparently where it laid its eggs) and shove it inside. Then it covered the hole with mud and fly away. Those babies are going to eat good.

I try not to squash unknown bugs, or wasps in the garden because I don't want to wreck the cycle. I keep squishing for stink bugs, squash bugs, hornworms and caterpillars!