Stephen Fellenberg, Killer of Australian iconic insect (Wildlife and Animal 2019)

We see it all the time in nature, in all habitats across the world. There is an order from plants, to plant eaters (herbivores) to predators (who eat herbivores and other predators). The insect world is numerous and has a number of parasitic insects living on other insects. One such insect is the quite large > 20 mm long and bright yellow; this insect is known as the Cicada Killer Wasp. These wasps digs a burrow up to 40 to 50 cm deep with the entrance a little bigger than a 10 cent piece. Once the burrow is prepared they will fly around searching for cicadas which they actually drag along the ground with the cicadas wings facing the ground and the wasp firmly grasping the cicada they run through the leaf litter back at the burrow. The cicada is forced in headfirst and an egg laid in its body cavity. This cicada is not dead but simply a sleep (anaesthetised) when the egg of the wasp hatches it will feed on the live cicada and hatch following year. It is important that these and the diversity of all insects is protected.

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