tref 的最愛

This has been an interesting learning curve for me. Bought on by me always being curious. Plus some mistaken thinking. Although, I have photographed little wasps on this Ootheca over the last few months, I didn’t relate the tiny holes in the Ootheca to them. Instead I thought it meant the baby Praying Mantis had emerged out of them.
So, thinking it was old and empty, I wanted to see what it looked like on the inside. I was not prepared for what I found.

Inside I found the larvae of Genus Podagrion. The first two images are clearly female showing the unmistakable Ovipositor. As for the other images I’m not sure if some are just shedded skins. Not having a microscope I couldn’t tell. I put the Ootheca back together as best I could.The next morning I had one wasp.
Over the next few days 3 more hatched. All have been released now. I also learned that the little holes in the Ootheca, are made by the female’s Ovipositor piercing through the Ootheca to deposit her eggs, onto the Mantis eggs, for them to feed on.

This wasp (?) was visiting frequently to this egg cluster but I didn't notice any parasitism behaviour. In fact, next day wasp was still present and looked like its protecting the eggs. There were few small black ants coming close to eggs and this wasp will be actively chase them away.