Monomad: Sand-loving Wasp on the Crown Flower

I found this pollinator perched on a crown flower. It appears to be a sand-loving wasp belonging to the genus Tachytes. This wasp builds its nest by digging into the sandy soil and laying its eggs there.

This wasp is also known as a predator of insects such as grasshoppers. It paralyzes its prey with a deadly sting, then drags it to its nest hole to feed its larvae.

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After ensuring the larvae are safe, the mother flies off to hunt for delicious nectar. For herself, of course!

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It seems she has had too much nectar. Getting drunk on nectar makes her tired. She rests for a while while gathering the remaining energy so she can return to her nest.

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This is another entry I submitted for the daily #monomad challenge.

All these photos are my original work, taken with a Xiaomi POCO NFC smartphone and an assembled external macro lens.



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Manually curated by ewkaw from the @qurator Team. Keep up the good work!

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