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Put a little honey/sugar water on a milk bottle top near the nest of a black ant colony the other day. I didn't get a huge number of takers but decided to photograph 2 "ants" on opposite sides of the drop. Much to my suprise one of the ants turned out to be a flightless wasp which I think is Gelis sp.
Anyone know of any biological link between the two ?
I was suprised to see the wasp (only seen 2 others in 5 years of macrophotography) and the fact that it was so close to the ant without the ant taking any notice (they are normally aggressivley territorial to other insects).

Brian V.

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It is Gelis agilis, a parasitoid of various small insect cocoons in open habitats. Adult females overwinters.

Best regards

Martin
Schwarz

Can I please put it in my gallery?
Thank you for your attention!
Camille

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Thanks for the ID Camille
Yes you can certainly use it in your gallery - you can find a larger version here http://www.flickr.com/photos/lordv/4411348270/sizes/o/ if you need it
Would the wasp overwinter with the ants ?

By the way I have some nice shots of what I assume is another Gelis sp. here http://www.flickr.com/photos/lordv/sets/72157594222560020/detail/?page=29


Brian V.