A specialised Cricket hunter Wasp

Описание: Genus Liris

Liris is a genus of solitary, ground-nesting, predaceous wasps, containing over 300 species. It contains two subgenera: Leptolarra and Motes, with most of the species falling within subgenus Leptolarra.

Class Insecta
Subclass Pterygota
Order Hymenoptera
Suborder Apocrita
Infraorder Aculeata
Superfamily Apoidea
Family Crabronidae
Subfamily Crabroninae
Tribe Larrini
Subtribe Larrina
Genus Liris

Liris subtessellatus?
(predatory wasps of Crickets)
This wasp of less than 15mm length has stung and paralyzed a brown cricket almost double it's weight. Then it proceeded to drag and fly with it's prey all over the place. I have witnessed it fly more than 3 meters at a stretch with all this weight - a herculean task indeed. after each flight it used to rest for a while without letting go of it's prey and I was fortunate to take some pictures during that brief stops!! Could not actually see where this wasp has taken the cricket because I lost sight of it among the shrubs....but suspect this is a digger wasp.

The genus Liris is a large and diverse group of over 300 species of solitary, ground-nesting, predaceous wasps. They are part of the family Crabronidae, often referred to as "square-headed wasps".

Specialized Predatory Behavior
Cricket Hunters: Most Liris species are specialized predators of crickets (Gryllidae).
Chemical Recognition: They identify their specific prey using chemical substances on the cricket's body, which they detect through specialized sensors on their antennae.
The "Twitch" and Sting: They are known for moving with a rapid, twitching motion while searching for prey. A typical attack involves subduing the cricket with approximately four stings to paralyze it.

are active primarily in the early morning and late afternoon.

#Liris #wasp #Crabronidae #crickethunter #preadator