https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/https://www.rawpixel.com/image/8756841
Epeolus autumnalis, m, face, Suffolk Co., MA
While the host is away the Epeolus will play. This is E. autumnalis, collected by Jessica Rykken in Massachusetts. It does not gather pollen. Rather, the female sneaketh into the nest of a Colletes while it is out gathering more food and inserts its egg into the wall of the nest. Later the egg hatches and the larva slaughters the host egg or larvae and if more than one little parasite is in the nest, well the last to survive the fight wins. It would make an excellent soap opera. Kelly Graninger took the picture.
Beauty is truth, truth beauty - that is all
Ye know on earth and all ye need to know
" Ode on a Grecian Urn"
John Keats. Original public domain image from Flickr
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