#perilampidae

One of my favorite genera of wasps to find, Perilampus! They come in a couple of different metallic-y colors (this one lands roughly around the species hyalinus so... I'm fudging it) but all have an adorable head to thorax to abdomen ratio. My one good Perilampus specimen was eaten by ants a few years ago :( so I couldn't compare it to these sculptures, but trust me, it's tiny. Instead....

Banana for scale.

Did you know that even parasites can get parasites? Perilampid wasps, sometimes known as 'disco-ball wasps', are a great example of hyperparasitism! Freshly hatched larvae seek out the parasitic larvae of other species which have attached themselves to a host-- usually a caterpillar. Once that first parasite finishes consuming its host and pupates, the perilampid wasp larvae emerges and feeds on its host. Parasite-ception!

Hyperparasitoids: *laughs demonically*

Hyperparasite Perilampid wasps, Perilampidae, Chalcidoidea

As a hyperparasite, Perilampid wasp larvae seek out a primary host insect (such as a caterpillar) and burrow into its body in search of their secondary host (such as a parasitoid wasp or tachinid fly larva), which they then parasitize. Photo 10 shows free-living larvae in search of a primary host among aphids.

Micro perilampid dimpled wasp (Perilampidae), found in Mandalay Rainforest, Airlie Beach, Australia

The Perilampidae wasps are comprised mostly of hyperparasitoids - this means their primary host is also a parasite, usually another parasitoid insect. The larvae of Perilampidae wasps seek out and burrow inside a secondary host (like a caterpillar) to find the parasitoid larvae of other species, and burrow inside that larvae, which is their primary host.

Playing with deep dream, deforming a perilampid photo here and there