Thynninae
Guides
Methocha stygia
ant-like wasp, tiger beetle parasitoid wasp
Methocha stygia is a specialized parasitoid wasp in the family Tiphiidae that exhibits remarkable ant-mimicry (myrmecomorphy) in both morphology and behavior. This species targets tiger beetle larvae (Cicindelidae) as its exclusive host, employing a distinctive hunting strategy where females aggressively engage their prey and deliberately allow themselves to be grasped by the larva's sickle-shaped mandibles to gain entry to the burrow. The wasp's ant-like appearance enables it to approach host burrows without triggering the defensive responses that tiger beetle larvae typically direct against conventional wasp predators.