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How to find and care for Parasitoid wasps?


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17 replies to this topic

#1 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted January 12 2021 - 9:06 AM

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These are the only type of wasps I find fascinating, that I want to keep. I would like to know general care for them as well as how to find them. I feel they would be pretty common in my yard as tons of caterpillars every year come, did I say tons? I meant I catch I "catch" around 300 a month if I want to. I know they eat and lay eggs in and on other thing such as roaches. There is this one that is a beautiful color I believe it may have been a parasitoid going up a tree about a month ago. The color was shiny blue and shiny red and had the body figure of one.


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#2 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted January 12 2021 - 9:10 AM

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These are the only type of wasps I find fascinating, that I want to keep. I would like to know general care for them as well as how to find them. I feel they would be pretty common in my yard as tons of caterpillars every year come, did I say tons? I meant I catch I "catch" around 300 a month if I want to. I know they eat and lay eggs in and on other thing such as roaches. There is this one that is a beautiful color I believe it may have been a parasitoid going up a tree about a month ago. The color was shiny blue and shiny red and had the body figure of one.

I don't know much about these wasps, but XxMochiixX from Arachnoboards seems to have experience breeding and keeping them. You might want to contact her, or look at her posts about them.


 My YouTube channel :)

 

 


#3 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted January 12 2021 - 9:13 AM

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These are the only type of wasps I find fascinating, that I want to keep. I would like to know general care for them as well as how to find them. I feel they would be pretty common in my yard as tons of caterpillars every year come, did I say tons? I meant I catch I "catch" around 300 a month if I want to. I know they eat and lay eggs in and on other thing such as roaches. There is this one that is a beautiful color I believe it may have been a parasitoid going up a tree about a month ago. The color was shiny blue and shiny red and had the body figure of one.

I don't know much about these wasps, but XxMochiixX from Arachnoboards seems to have experience breeding and keeping them. You might want to contact her, or look at her posts about them.

 

Thanks, Ill check it out.


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#4 Offline Guest_StrickyAnts_* - Posted January 12 2021 - 9:14 AM

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You should contact zeiss. I THINK he had some of these.


Edited by StrickyAnts, January 12 2021 - 9:14 AM.


#5 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted January 12 2021 - 9:16 AM

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Thank you, also.


We don’t talk about that

#6 Offline antsandmore - Posted January 12 2021 - 9:29 AM

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parasitic have amazing metallic(?) coloration, but I think they just become adults, lay eggs, and die? that's the only part about their life cycle I know about. I'm not sure what else they do lol


Ants I am keeping:

 none for now, planning on being more active this year


#7 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted January 12 2021 - 9:36 AM

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parasitic have amazing metallic(?) coloration, but I think they just become adults, lay eggs, and die? that's the only part about their life cycle I know about. I'm not sure what else they do lol

Pretty much lol. 


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#8 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted January 12 2021 - 9:41 AM

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Yes you are right they hunt and lay eggs and die. but the queens themself hunt and in a different way than other wasps, then they go into their cave and lay an egg on their victim. 


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#9 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted January 12 2021 - 9:44 AM

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Yes you are right they hunt and lay eggs and die. but the queens themself hunt and in a different way than other wasps, then they go into their cave and lay an egg on their victim. 

They also look really cool. You should try breeding Cicada killers KitsAnts. Amazing sp, I wish they were native to CA but no :(


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#10 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted January 12 2021 - 9:45 AM

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I could probably find those, there are cicadas in my backyard during the summer.


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#11 Offline ANTdrew - Posted January 12 2021 - 6:21 PM

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Fill your yard with native plants that feed their host insects. Enjoy them thriving in their native habitat.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#12 Offline antsandmore - Posted January 13 2021 - 8:12 AM

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Fill your yard with native plants that feed their host insects. Enjoy them thriving in their native habitat.

to think that I do have some native plants but its just a very small amount because we did turf in our backyard :( 


Ants I am keeping:

 none for now, planning on being more active this year


#13 Offline ANTdrew - Posted January 13 2021 - 8:25 AM

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Go bit by bit removing turf and adding more diverse beds of native plants. If you plant it, they will come.


"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#14 Offline antsandmore - Posted January 13 2021 - 8:28 AM

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oof. I wish, but that will cost a lot. Also, that's kind of my parents decision. but, I'll still try in some way.


Ants I am keeping:

 none for now, planning on being more active this year


#15 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted January 13 2021 - 8:41 AM

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I talked to Ziess about this and he said a lot of useful things, egg cards were one of them or finding a host such as everyday insects that are easy to find. Caterpillars will be my number one option since next year I can catch tons of them.
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#16 Offline Scherme - Posted January 13 2021 - 10:31 AM

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Fill your yard with native plants that feed their host insects. Enjoy them thriving in their native habitat.

This should just be in your signature somewhere by now lol 

"Fill your yard with native plants and you will see the native species you love more" - poking a little fun but it makes tons of sense, I agree and plan to execute this order. 

I love watching these wasps dig. I don't get them often near my house but I have seen some around a lake house I go to. One would have almost a dozen chambers excavated around the outside of a small grassy hill surrounded by pavement. They dig like a dog, throwing sand and dirt far out the mouth of their egg chambers. Watching them come back and helicopter a dangling caterpillar into their hole is so cool. plus the colorations.
 


Edited by Scherme, January 13 2021 - 10:32 AM.

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#17 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted January 13 2021 - 1:03 PM

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Fill your yard with native plants that feed their host insects. Enjoy them thriving in their native habitat.

This should just be in your signature somewhere by now lol 

"Fill your yard with native plants and you will see the native species you love more" - poking a little fun but it makes tons of sense, I agree and plan to execute this order. 

I love watching these wasps dig. I don't get them often near my house but I have seen some around a lake house I go to. One would have almost a dozen chambers excavated around the outside of a small grassy hill surrounded by pavement. They dig like a dog, throwing sand and dirt far out the mouth of their egg chambers. Watching them come back and helicopter a dangling caterpillar into their hole is so cool. plus the colorations.
 

 

I watched one have a stand off with a caterpillar except for the 10 minutes me and my brother watched it, it never attempted to attack the caterpillar and just ended up flying away. Still, it was pretty cool to watch.



#18 Offline ANTdrew - Posted January 13 2021 - 1:24 PM

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oof. I wish, but that will cost a lot. Also, that's kind of my parents decision. but, I'll still try in some way.

I couldn’t disagree more! You could fill an entire garden with plants for next to nothing using seeds. Read my native plant journal for ideas and a guide to growing native plants from seed.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.




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