Hobbies And Interests
Parasite Behavior
Elasmus wasps parasitize the larvae of other insects. They are also hyperparasitoids, meaning that they will parasitize the larvae of other parasitoids. Some live on their hosts as ectoparasites, meaning that they live on the outside of the creature they are parasitizing. Adult female Elasmus wasps lay their eggs on host larvae with their ovipositors -- stinger like mechanisms for laying eggs. Once the wasp larvae emerge, they begin to eat the host larvae. Once they eat their fill of the host larvae, they build a cell in the host nest and remain there until they become adults, at which time they may parasitize more of the nest's larvae.
Mating Behavior
Both male and female Elasmus wasps will often develop in insect nests parasitized by these wasp species. Some Elasmus species will not only eat the host larvae, but also the larvae of the other parasitoids on their hosts. If adult male and females develop in the same area, males will wait for females to emerge from the nest and mate with them. The females may stay in the area and parasitize the same nest from which they emerged.
Nesting Behavior
Parasitoid wasps, like Elasmus wasps, do not typically nest. At most, they will make burrows or burrow into holes that already exist. They have no reason to be social, apart from mating, as their young depend on hosts and host nests to survive. They will be social long enough to mate and then live solitary lives. This is one of the reasons parasitoid wasps are beneficial insects. They reduce the population of host insects without damaging property with large nests.
Feeding Behavior
Elasmus wasps first feed on their hosts. Once they emerge from the hosts or the host's nest, they hunt as predators. They will forage for other insects or insect larvae and eat them. Adult Elasmus wasps may also eat flower nectar.