Sometimes you come across an animal that is so devious you just can’t help but admire them, this week, the ruby-tailed wasp. It’s the first time I’ve come across this fascinating little creature as one turned up to an office meeting. They come in some beautiful colours with metallic blues, reds and yellows, the red abdomen giving them their name .They are also armoured so they can roll up into a ball to protect themselves when they go attacking other wasp and bees nests. The residents can try to pierce the armour, but they have no chance, eventually they just pick up the curled up wasp and evict it from the nest. The wasp then just gets up and has another go at sneaking in!
They are known as cuckoo wasps as like their namesakes they lay their eggs in the nests of other animals. Their young then eat the eggs of the host wasp. Though sometimes the mother wasp can provide enough food for all the kids, so the wasp may remain undetected and doesn’t need to eat its adopted siblings. The female has developed lots of ways to infiltrate different types of host, from a quick cut to a sawing action. They then cover the hole with nest material to make sure they never work it out till it’s too late. However there is a gap in their weaponry, they can’t sting, though clearly they are doing fine without it!
They can be found all over the UK and Europe, though can be difficult to see as they are not sociable animals, preferring to be solitary and are only about a centimetre long. So keep your eyes peeled for this devious little wasp!