Ladybird and parasitic wasp cocoon. Spotted lady beetle (Coleomegilla maculata) protecting the cocoon of the parasitic wasp Dinocampus coccinellae. Th

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Ladybird and parasitic wasp cocoon. Spotted lady beetle (Coleomegilla maculata) protecting the cocoon of the parasitic wasp Dinocampus coccinellae. This ladybird will hold on to the cocoon if anything attempts to remove it, as shown here. The parasitic wasp lays its eggs in the soft underbelly of the ladybird. After maturing through several stages, the larva emerges from the ladybird and forms a cocoon attached to one of its legs. This has the effect of turning its host into a 'zombie' that protects the cocoon. Once the adult wasp emerges from the cocoon, the ladybird beetle usually dies, though around a quarter will survive. Photographed in North America.

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Size: 5183px × 3592px
Photo credit: © PASCAL GOETGHELUCK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -, 1, america, american, animal, arthropod, beetle, behavior, behaviour, biological, biology, coccinellae, cocoon, coleomegilla, cycle, dinocampus, entomological, entomology, fauna, holding, insect, invertebrate, lady, larva, leaf, life, maculata, nature, north, parasite, parasitic, parasitism, parasitology, plant, protecting, removing, single, spotted, tweezers, wasp, wildlife, zombie, zoological, zoology