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)
-Ichneumonid Wasps (Family Ichneumonidae)
-Subfamily Cryptinae
-Tribe Ichneumonini
-Subtribe Ichneumonina
-Genus Joppa
The Joppa wasp refers to species within the genus Joppa, which belongs to the family Ichneumonidae, a large and diverse group of parasitic wasps. These wasps are particularly notable for their often brightly colored and strikingly patterned bodies, and their parasitic life cycle that targets other insects.
Joppa Wasps
Joppa (Genus)
Description
• Joppa is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Ichneumonidae. Members are often relatively large and colourful, with robust bodies, long antennae, and conspicuous yellow, orange, reddish, or dark markings. Like other ichneumonid wasps, females use an ovipositor to deposit eggs in or on suitable insect hosts, where the larvae develop.
Range
• Species of Joppa occur primarily in the Americas, especially tropical and subtropical regions. It is native to Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area.
Habitat
• These wasps inhabit forested and semi-open environments, including tropical dry forest, scrubland, and woodland edges. Adults may be found resting on foliage or visiting flowers while searching for food and potential hosts.
Diet
• Adults feed on nectar and other sugary plant secretions. Their larvae are parasitoids of other insects, particularly caterpillars of moths and butterflies, although host preferences vary among species.