How One became Many

A Photo Essay

This is the story of a single common mormon pupa that metamorphosed into many wasps – a tale of parasites and opportunists.
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The One

Common mormon pupa hanging from coriander leaf

The Many

The first male wasps ( pteromalus puparum (?) ) emerging from the pupa

The waiting game

Male wasps waiting for the queens

Make way for the queen

Queens emerging from the pupa

Male wasps making most out of the small time frame

The Opportunists
 

Ants finishing the job the wasps had started

Desecrated pupa 

And life goes on …

A common mormon (form stichius) laying eggs

Common mormon egg