More than 2200 species of the wild flora and fauna photographed in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico and the surrounding area.
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Wasps of Zihuatanejo
ORDER HYMENOPTERA
-Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)
-Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)
-Winged and Once-winged Insects (Subclass Pterygota)
-Ants, Bees, Wasps, and Sawflies (Order Hymenoptera)
-Narrow-waisted Wasps, Ants, and Bees (Suborder Apocrita)
-Ichneumonid and Braconid Wasps (Superfamily Ichneumonoidea)
-Braconid Wasps (Family Braconidae)
-Subfamily Microgastrinae
-Genus Cotesia
Braconid parasitoid wasps are often colourful and frequent visitors to flowers. These wasps are primarily parasitoids, meaning that their larvae develop by feeding on or inside a host organism, typically other insects.
Cotesia Braconid Wasps
Cotesia (Genus)
Description
• Cotesia is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Braconidae. These small wasps typically have slender bodies, long antennae, and dark brown or black colouring. Females lay their eggs inside caterpillars, where the wasp larvae develop. When mature, the larvae emerge from the host and often form small silken cocoons nearby.
Range
• Species of Cotesia occur worldwide, from tropical and subtropical regions to temperate environments. It is native to Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area.
Habitat
• These wasps inhabit forests, tropical dry scrub, grasslands, gardens, and agricultural areas where suitable caterpillar hosts are present. Adults may be found resting on vegetation or visiting flowers in search of food.
Diet
• Adults feed primarily on nectar and other sugary plant secretions. The larvae are parasitoids of caterpillars, including those of moths and butterflies, and ultimately kill their hosts as they complete development.