Red-banded Sand Wasp in Action
This beautiful Red-banded Sand Wasp is an amazing pollinator. It is also a predator and found a tasty Tomato Hornworm (which will turn into beautiful Hawk Moth) for her offspring. She will drag this into her burrow and lay an egg on the paralyzed caterpillar. When the egg hatches, it will consume the paralyzed caterpillar and mature into the adult form by the time it is finished.
A good look at the powerful mandibles (jaw) of the Red-banded Wasp on Monarda punctata - Spotted Horsemint.
Red-banded wasp on Echinacea purpurea - Purple Coneflower.
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