Megascolia procer


Megascolia procer is a solitary wasp in the family Scoliidae. Found in the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Java, it is one of the largest wasps in the world, with a wingspan of 11.6 cm.

Distribution

There are subspecies in Sumatra and Java.

Life Cycle

The species is a parasitoid of the scarabeid Atlas beetle Chalcosoma atlas. The wasp paralyzes a beetle grub with its sting, then lays an egg on it and buries it in an underground cell. When the wasp larva hatches, it consumes its still-living host before pupating inside its remains.

Structural coloration

The wings of this large tropical wasp are structurally coloured, making them iridescent. The wing is made of chitin, made dark with melanin, covered with a transparent overlayer 286 nm thick that acts as an interference thin film.