Cuckoo wasps

Cuckoo wasp, Denis Doucet (CC BY-NC) — Cuckoo Wasp, Hedychridium dimidiatum (Family Chrysididae). Image: Denis Doucet
© CC BY-NC 4.0

Fast Facts

Classification

Family

Chrysididae

Super Family

Chrysidoidea

Suborder

Apocrita

Order

Hymenoptera

Class

Insecta

Subphylum

Uniramia

Phylum

Arthopoda

Kingdom

Animalia
Number of Species

76
Size Range

1.2 cm

Introduction

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.

Identification

Cuckoo wasps are usually a shiny green colour.

Metallic Bluish-green Cuckoo Wasp Chrysis angolensis, CC BY-NC uploaded by Gray Rothkopf — Metallic Bluish-green Cuckoo Wasp, *Chrysis angolensis*. Image: Gray Rothkopf
© CC BY-NC 4.0

Habitat

Cuckoo wasps live in urban areas, forests and woodlands, and heath.

Distribution

Cuckoo wasps are found throughout Australia.

Distribution data sourced from the Atlas of Living Australia

Feeding and diet

Cuckoo wasps can be seen hovering in gardens where they feed on flower nectar and search for wasp nests.

Rainbow Cuckoo Wasp Chrysis mionii, (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Odette Curtis — Rainbow Cuckoo Wasp, *Chrysis mionii*. Image: Odette Curtis
© CC BY-NC 4.0

Life history 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.