Striatovertex sayi , usda , buffington

This is picture 11 from a 12 picture invited series by Matt Buffington (matt.buffington@usda.gov) at the USDA Parastitic Hymentoptera group using specimens from the U.S. Natural History Museum Smithsonian. Matt uses a system very similar to ours to photograph and stack this super tiny wasp. Striatovertex sayi parastize maggots in rotting biological material like dead animals and feces. The wasp larva live in the host maggot, eating it from the inside out, eventually killing the host. These are gorgeous wasps in a fantastic two-tone cuticle and shiny wings; what's not to love?