Which insects are typical live prey hunted by worker wasps for larvae?
Answer
Flies, caterpillars, aphids, or spiders
Adult worker wasps are tasked with procuring the essential protein required by the developing larvae. To fulfill this high-protein mandate, they actively hunt live creatures that are generally soft-bodied, which makes them easier to subdue and process. Specific examples of these preferred prey items include common garden pests and other small arthropods such as flies, caterpillars, aphids, and spiders. Once caught, the prey is meticulously masticated by the worker wasp into a manageable, moist, nutritious ball or slurry before being transported back to the nest cells for direct feeding to the hungry grubs.
Related Questions
What diet fuels the rapid growth of wasp larvae underground?What do adult wasps primarily gather for energy needs?What liquid does the larva secrete to sustain the adult wasp?Compared to a honeybee, why does a wasp visit a flower?Which insects are typical live prey hunted by worker wasps for larvae?What characterizes the provisioning diet of a solitary potter wasp?What nutritional need drives the intense predation by late summer wasps?What specific substance excreted by pests provides simple sugars for adults?How do larvae sustain the entire adult population during feeding?How are wasp larvae prepared as seasonal delicacies in parts of Japan?What is the primary focus of the queen wasp in the spring?