Invertebrates
Ruby-tailed Wasp
Chrysis ignita
On a sunny brick wall near a mason bee nest, a ruby-tailed wasp patrols, a flash of blue-green and red as it searches for a nest to enter.
Overview
The ruby-tailed wasp, Chrysis ignita, is a small, metallic cuckoo wasp of sunny walls, banks, and gardens across Europe and parts of Asia. Its jewel-like colours, nest parasitism, and ball-rolling defence make it one of the most beautiful insects in the garden.
A jewel with a cuckoo’s habits
Behind its dazzling armour, the ruby-tailed wasp lives as a nest parasite, laying its eggs in the nests of mason bees and potter wasps.
Status
Not Evaluated, but widespread and fairly common.
Ruby-tailed Wasp: common questions
Why is it called a cuckoo wasp?
Like a cuckoo, it lays its eggs in the nests of other insects, and its larva eats the host's egg or grub and then the stored food.
Can the ruby-tailed wasp sting people?
No, its sting has become an egg-laying tube, so it does not sting people.
Why does it roll into a ball?
When attacked, it rolls up into a tight ball, protecting its soft underparts with its hard, armoured upper body.
Where is the ruby-tailed wasp found?
It lives on sunny walls, banks, dunes, and gardens across Europe and parts of Asia and North Africa.