John Abbott / Ichneumon wasp (Compsocryptus sp.?) in flight, Williamson county, Texas, USA, November

Nick Upton / Ichneumon Wasp (Ichneumonidae) with antenna upright, on leaf. Wiltshire garden, UK, May.

Andy Sands / Ichneumon wasp (Rhyssa persuasoria) one of the largest British wasps, at rest on Dock leaf, UK, Captive

Wild Wonders of Europe / Ziegler / Parasitoid wasp (Ichneumonidae) carrying a large paralysed caterpillar to its nesting hole, The Peloponnese, Greece, May 2009

PREMAPHOTOS / Pupae of parasitic wasp {Braconidae family} on hawkmoth caterpillar host, Peru, South America

Andy Sands / Sand Wasp (Ammophila pubescens) carrying paralysed caterpillar of Common heath moth (Ematurga atomaria) back to burrow, Surrey, UK, August

Andy Sands / Sand Wasp (Ammophila pubescens) carrying paralysed caterpillar of Common heath moth (Ematurga atomaria) back to burrow, Surrey, UK, August

Andy Sands / Sand Wasp (Ammophila pubescens) stinging caterpillar of Beautiful Yellow Underwing moth (Anarta myrtilli), Surrey, UK, August

Andy Sands / Sand Wasp (Ammophila pubescens) carrying paralysed caterpillar of Beautiful Yellow Underwing moth (Anarta myrtilli) back to burrow, Surrey, UK, August

Andy Sands / Sand Wasp (Ammophila pubescens) carrying paralysed caterpillar of Beautiful Yellow Underwing moth (Anarta myrtilli) back to burrow, Surrey, UK, August

Colin Varndell / Robin's pincushion gall caused by wasp (Diplolepis roase) on dog rose (Rosa canina). Dorset, UK September 2012

Andy Sands / Ichneumen wasp (Ichneumen sp.) ovipositing into Bulrush head, probable host Bulrush Wainscot moth, East Sussex, England UK, August

Andy Sands / Ichneumen wasp (Ichneumen sp.) ovipositing into Bulrush head, probable host Bulrush Wainscot moth, East Sussex, England UK, August

MYN / Seth Patterson / Ichneumon wasp (Enicospilus sp) Sabal Palm Sanctuary, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA, October. meetyourneighbours.net project

Pete Oxford / Chalcid Wasp (Chalcididae) group parasitizing butterfly pupa, Tiputini Biodiversity Station, adjacent to Yasuni National Park, Amazon Rainforest, Ecuador

MYN / Joao P. Burini / Parasitic wasp (Ophion sp) tropical rainforest, Piedade, Sao Paulo, Brazil, June, meetyourneighboursproject.net

Mark Moffett / Green Tree Ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) in defensive posture as parasitic wasps attempt to lay eggs on colony members, Daintree, Queensland, Australia

Sandesh Kadur / A fig wasp (Waterstoniella masii) explores the surface of the fruit it just emerged from, Western Ghats, Southern India

Andy Sands / Parasitic Wasp (Gasteruption assector) female on bracken frond. West Sussex, England, UK, August.

Piotr Naskrecki / Chalcid Wasp (Chalcididae) parasite newly emerged from butterfly chrysalis, Sipaliwini, Surinam

Piotr Naskrecki / Chalcid Wasp (Chalcididae) parasite emerging from butterfly chrysalis, Sipaliwini, Surinam

Laurie Campbell / Oak spangle gall (Neuroterus quercusbaccarum) on the underside of a sessile / durmast oak leaf, Roxburghshire, Scotland, September

Stephen Dalton / Ruby tailed wasp (Chrysis ignita) a parasitic wasp, UK

Stephen Dalton / Ruby tailed wasp (Chrysis ignita) a parasitic wasp, UK

Stephen Dalton / Ruby tailed wasp (Chrysis ignita) a parasitic wasp, UK

Laurie Campbell / Cherry gall (Diplolepis quercusfolii) on underside of oak leaf with Oak spangle galls (Neuroterus quercusbaccarum) Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, Stirlingshire, October

Nick Upton / Female Ichneumon wasp (Stilbops ruficornis) inserting its ovipositor into Field scabious (Knautia arvensis) flowerhead to parasitise eggs of the longhorn moth (Nemophora metallica) as a moth of this s...

John Abbott / Ichneumon wasp (Compsocryptus sp.?) in flight, Williamson county, Texas, USA, November

John Abbott / Ichneumon wasp (Compsocryptus sp.?) in flight, Williamson county, Texas, USA, November

Nick Upton / Ichneumon wasp (Acroricnus sp) feeding on Wild carrot / Queen Anne's lace (Daucus carota) flowers, Lesbos / Lesvos, Greece, June.

Nick Upton / A large black and yellow Ichneumon Wasp (Amblyteles armatorius), a parasitoid of noctuid moth caterpillars, feeding on Wild Angelica (Angelica sylvestris) flowers. Wiltshire river bank, UK, June.

Christian Ziegler / King Spider Orchid (Caladenia pectinata) flower swarmed by male parasitic wasps who interpret the flowerÆs red lip as female wasp, western Australia

Christian Ziegler / King Spider Orchid (Caladenia pectinata) flower being visited by male parasitic wasp which is attracted to the flower by faux female wasp pheromone, western Australia

Christian Ziegler / King Spider Orchid (Caladenia pectinata) being visited by male parasitic wasp pollinator which is attracted to the flower by faux female wasp pheromone, Australia

Christian Ziegler / Zebra Orchid (Caladenia cairnsiana) flower being pollinated by male parasitic wasp which is attracted to the flower by faux female wasp pheromone, western Australia

Colin Varndell / Ectoparasitic Ichneumon Wasp (Ichneumonidae) probing into pine bark with ovipositor. Dorset, UK, June.

Nature Production / Cross section through soil showing Scolid wasp (Campsomeriella / Campsomeris annulata) oviposting into the thorax of a leaf chafer larva (Mimela sp) Japan

Nature Production / Cross section through soil showing leaf chafer larva (Mimela sp) growing thinner as larva of parasitic Scolid wasp (Campsomeriella / Campsomeris annulata) feeds off it, Japan

Nature Production / Cross section through soil showing leaf chafer larva (Mimela sp) with egg of a parasitic Scolid wasp (Campsomeriella / Campsomeris annulata), Japan

Simon Colmer / Robin's Pincushion / Bedeguar Gall on rose, caused by the tiny Gall wasp (Diplolepis rosae) Levin Down Nature Reserve, Sussex, UK, August

Simon Colmer / Robin's Pincushion / Bedeguar Gall on rose, caused by the tiny Gall wasp (Diplolepis rosae) Levin Down Nature Reserve, Sussex, UK, August

Simon Colmer / Robin's Pincushion / Bedeguar Gall on rose, caused by the tiny Gall wasp (Diplolepis rosae) Levin Down Nature Reserve, Sussex, UK, August

Colin Varndell / Common spangle galls of the Gall wasp (Neuroterus quercusbaccarum) on underside of oak leaf, Dorset, UK, September

Colin Varndell / Common Spangle Galls of the Gall Wasp (Neuroterus quercusbaccarum) on underside of oak leaf. Dorset, UK, September.

Ross Hoddinott / Marble galls of Oak marble gall wasp (Andricus kollari) on twig of English oak (Quercus robur). Broxwater, Cornwall, UK, August

Nick Upton / A large black and yellow Ichneumon wasp (Amblyteles armatorius), a parasitoid of noctuid moth caterpillars, feeding on Common hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) flowers, Wiltshire meadow, UK, June.

Andy Sands / Ichneumon parasitic wasp (Lissonota setosa) on leaf. Captive. UK, September.

Andy Sands / Ichneumon parasitic wasp (Lissonota setosa) on branch. Captive. UK, September.

Adrian Davies / Robin's Pin Cushion / Bedeguar gall, on Dog rose (Rosa canina) caused by the Gall Wasp (Diplolepis rosae) UK, September

Russell Cooper / Bedeguar gall / Robin's pin cushion (Diplolepis rosae) growing on Dog rose (Rosa canina) South London, UK, August

Nick Upton / Ichneumon Wasp (Ichneumonidae) male on a leaf. Wiltshire garden, UK, May.

Nick Upton / Ichneumon Wasp (Ichneumonidae) portrait at rest on leaf. Wiltshire garden, UK, May.

Tim Laman / Fig wasp (Waterstoniella masii) female emerging through an opening in the fig that has been cut by a male wasp, this wasp species is the pollinator for the strangler fig (Ficus stupenda) Gunung Palung...

Tim Laman / Fig wasp (Waterstoniella masii) male has cut a passage through the fig wall and is seen emerging, females will use this passage to escape the fig and fly off to other fig trees carrying pollen. This...

Tim Laman / Fig wasp (Waterstoniella masii) male has cut a passage through the fig wall and is seen emerging, females will use this passage to escape the fig and fly off to other fig trees carrying pollen. This...

Tim Laman / Fig wasp (Waterstoniella masii) female emerging from split-open fig, This wasp is the pollinator for the strangler fig (Ficus stupenda) Gunung Palung National Park, Borneo, West Kalimantan, Indonesia

Stephen Dalton / Common oak gall wasp (Cynips quercusfolii) exposed inside oak gall, UK

Nick Upton / Ichneumon wasp (Ichneumon emancipatus) a parasitoid of Lepidopteran caterpillars, nectar feeding on Common hogweed / Cow parsnip flowers, Wiltshire, UK, June.

Simon Colmer / Painted lady butterfly larva (Vanessa cardui)parasitised by Braconid wasp or Tabanid fly larva. (Remnants of caterpillar skin have fallen off leaf) Sussex, UK

Stephen Dalton / Ichneumon fly (Netelia testaceus) in flight. This image was sent into space on board Voyager spacecrafts 1&2 alongside other works of art.

Andy Sands / Ichneumon wasp (Rhyssa persuasoria) one of the largest British wasps, using antennae to detect larvae of Wood wasp prey {Urocerus gigas} within cut pine, UK, Captive

Andy Sands / Ichneumon wasp (Rhyssa persuasoria) one of the largest British wasps, on cut pine, UK, Captive

Andy Sands / Ichneumon wasp (Rhyssa persuasoria) one of the largest British wasps, preening on Dock leaf, UK, Captive

Ross Hoddinott / Spangle galls on oak leaf caused by Spangle gall wasp {Neuroterus quercusbaccarum}, Cornwall, UK. October.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Ziegler / Parasitoid wasp (Ichneumonidae) carrying a large paralysed caterpillar to its nesting hole, The Peloponnese, Greece, May 2009

Stephen Dalton / Ichneumon wasp (Rhyssa persuasoria) in flight, parasite of the Giant Wood Wasp (Sirex gigas), UK

Stephen Dalton / Ichneumon wasp (Rhyssa persuasoria) parasite of the Giant Wood Wasp (Sirex gigas), UK

Stephen Dalton / Ichneumon wasp (Rhyssa persuasoria) in flight, parasite of the Giant Wood Wasp (Sirex gigas), UK

Stephen Dalton / Parasitic wasp {Rhyssa sp} parasite of the Giant Wood Wasp {Sirex gigas} UK

Wild Wonders of Europe / D'Amicis / Male Ichneumon wasp (Dolichomitus imperator) looking for female on dead wood, Western Tatras, Carpathian Mountains, Slovakia, June 2009

Andy Sands / Oak marble gall wasp (Andricus kollari) on oak bud, early spring, Captive, UK

Andy Sands / Oak marble gall wasp (Andricus kollari) on oak bud, early spring, Captive, UK

Andy Sands / Oak marble gall wasp (Andricus kollari) about to take flight from oak bud, early spring, Captive, UK

Alex Hyde / Parasitic wasp {Podagrion sp} ovipositing into Praying mantis ootheca. Cheung Chau Island, Hong Kong.

Piotr Naskrecki / Wasp (Podagrion sp) cleaning its ovipositor after hatching from the ootheca of a preying mantis, Virachey National Park, Cambodia

Silvia Reiche / Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) pupa killed by parasitic wasp, Hoogeloon, Netherlands

Mark Moffett / Tarantula Hawk (Pepsis sp) has laid a small white egg on a stunned Tarantula (Theraphosidae) and departed the burrow, California

Doug Wechsler / Pelecinid wasp {Pelecinus polyturator} Maine, USA

Andy Sands / Ichneumen wasp (Pimpla rufipes) on dead log, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Andy Sands / Ichneumen wasp (Pimpla rufipes) on dead log, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Silvia Reiche / Wasp (Apanteles glomeratus) cocoons outside of Cabbage Butterfly (Pieris brassicae) caterpillar, the wasp larvae killed the caterpillar by eating it from the inside out, Netherlands

Silvia Reiche / Wasp (Apanteles glomeratus) cocoons outside of Cabbage Butterfly (Pieris brassicae) caterpillar, the wasp larvae killed the caterpillar by eating it from the inside out, Netherlands

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Caterpillar larva of Five spotted hawkmoth (Tomato hornworm) {Manduca quinquemaculata} covered in pupal cocoons of parasitic braconid wasp, Tennessee, USA

Premaphotos / Seven-spot ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata) attached to a braconid wasp (Pterilitus coccinellae) pupa formed when the wasp's parasitic larva left the ladybird host, UK

Ross Hoddinott / Cherry Gall of Pincushion gall wasp {Diplolepis rosae} on Oak leaf {Quercus robur} underside, Dartmoor NP, Devon, UK.

Andy Sands / Ichneumon Wasp (Ophion luteus) cleaning tail with back legs on Oak leaf. UK. Captive.

Andy Sands / Ichneumon Wasp (Ophion luteus) on Oak leaf. UK. Captive.

Andy Sands / Ichneumon Wasp (Ophion luteus) cleaning wings with back legs on Oak leaf. UK. Captive.

Andy Sands / Ichneumon Wasp (Ophion luteus) cleaning wings with back legs on Oak leaf. UK. Captive.

PREMAPHOTOS / Alder fly female {Sialis lutaria} laying eggs on leaf, while a tiny parasitic wasp {Trichogramma semblidis} lays her eggs into a nearby batch of eggs, UK

Brian Lightfoot / Ichneumon wasp {Rhyssa persuasoria} largest wasp in Britain, Cumberia, UK

Pete Oxford / Braconid wasp {Braconidae} covered in parasitic fungal growth {Cordiceps sp} Amazonia, Ecuador

Chris O'Reilly / Silk button and Common spangle galls of Gall wasps {Neuroterus spp} on oak leaf. UK

Doug Wechsler / Caterpillar larva of Tomato hornworm moth {Manduca quinquemaculata} with parasitic wasp cocoons. Pennsylvania, USA

Nature Production / Pteromalid Wasp waiting for Mack's swallowtail butterfly {Papilio maackii tutanus} caterpillar larva to pupate, Japan

Michael Durham / Cuckoo Wasp (Chrysididae) flying, Nature Conservancy's Zumwalt Prairie Preserve in northeast Oregon. This insect, like the cuckoo bird, lays her eggs in the nest of an unsuspecting host