‘Metallic’ creature that turns prey into zombie surrogate for babies is a new species
In nature, animal parents can range from being doting and self-sacrificing to threatening or absent entirely.
Driven by instinct, some species have developed effective yet bizarre ways to ensure their offspring have the best chance of survival.
One of the oddest parental strategies on display in nature — like something out of a horror movie — is that of the adult cockroach wasp, a new species of which was discovered in China, according to a study published March 17 in the Journal of Hymenoptera Research.
According to researchers, the wasp, which targets only cockroaches for its reproductive routine, will sting and paralyze its prey, then use its mandibles to drag it into a nest, still alive, where it will lay eggs on the victim’s body.
The wasp seals the still-living cockroach inside the nest until the larvae hatch, at which time, it will eat the surrogate, according to researchers.
Loaded up with the energy from the meal, the wasp will create a cocoon and transition into its adult form, and the cycle will begin again, the study said.
This reproductive behavior is exhibited by all wasps in the Ampulex genus, including the new cockroach wasp species Ampulex fronticarinalis, researchers said.
The fronticarinalis cockroach wasp has a “bright metallic blue-green” body covered with “punctures,” or marks that look like tiny dents, researchers said.
Its body also has a “purple luster,” according to researchers. Its wings are translucent and tinged a “smoky brown” color, researchers said.
Females tend to be larger than males, measuring just under one inch long, according to the study.
“Field observations have revealed that adults primarily feed on nectar, honeydew, tree sap, and fruit juices,” researchers said.
The new wasp species was found in Yunnan Province in south-central China near the Naban River, researchers said. There are 134 recognized species of cockroach wasps worldwide, researchers said.
The research team included Zhi-Zhi Liu, Qiang Li and Li Ma.
This story was originally published March 27, 2025 at 1:54 PM with the headline "‘Metallic’ creature that turns prey into zombie surrogate for babies is a new species."
