Animal Species:Cuckoo wasps
The cuckoo wasps are a group of 76 species that mostly parasitise other wasps. Like a cuckoo bird that manages to get another species to raise its chick, these wasps use another's nest for their own young.
Cuckoo wasp specimen
Andrew Donnelly
© Australian Museum
Number of species
76
Identification
Cuckoo wasps are usually a shiny green colour.
Size range
1.2 cm
Distribution
Cuckoo wasps are found throughout Australia.
Habitat
Cuckoo wasps live in urban areas, forests and woodlands, and heath.
Feeding and Diet
Cuckoo wasps can be seen hovering in gardens where they feed on flower nectar and search for wasp nests.
Life cycle
On finding the eggs or the nest containing eggs of a suitable species, such as the Mud-dauber Wasp, the female cuckoo wasp lays an egg next to the egg of the host species. The cuckoo wasp's egg hatches first and the larva eats the food that is stored for the Mud-dauber's young. The larvae of some cuckoo wasp species wait for the host larvae to hatch and have their meal, before attacking and eating them. If the female cuckoo wasp is discovered invading the Mud-dauber's nest, she rolls into a ball and uses special armour plates on her body to protect her.
Classification
- Family:
- Chrysididae
- Superfamily:
- Chrysidoidea
- Suborder:
- Apocrita
- Order:
- Hymenoptera
- Class:
- Insecta
- Subphylum:
- Uniramia
- Phylum:
- Arthopoda
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
Last Updated:
Tags wasps, insects, arthropods, invertebrates, wildlife of sydney, identification,
Hi Amanda,
Various species of these wasps are common throughout all of Australia; the fact sheet incorrectly suggested they are restricted to central and eastern New South Wales. I have amended this.