Cuckoo Wasp (also known as Emerald Wasp or Jewel Wasp)
Scientific Name: Family Chrysididae
Order & Family: Order Hymenoptera, Family Chrysididae
Size: Typically 6 to 12 mm (0.24 to 0.47 inches) in length.
Natural Habitat
Found worldwide in varied habitats ranging from deserts and grasslands to forests, often near the nests of host bees or wasps.
Diet & Feeding
Adults primarily feed on nectar and pollen; larvae are kleptoparasites or parasitoids that feed on the eggs, larvae, or food stores of host bees and wasps.
Behavior Patterns
They are solitary wasps known for their 'cuckoo' behavior, laying eggs in the nests of other insects. When threatened, they can curl into a tight ball for protection, using their hard, pitted exoskeleton as armor.
Risks & Benefits
They pose no risk to humans as they cannot sting. They provide ecological benefits by helping to control the populations of other insects and by acting as minor pollinators.
Identified on: 4/26/2026