Why I love the Ruby-tailed Wasp

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, 31 January 2025
Why I love the Ruby-tailed Wasp
Ruby-tailed Wasp © Barry Yates

Matt Rich

Ranger, Rye Harbour Nature Reserve

Back in 2022, I had an unforgettable adventure at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, just a year before I landed my dream job as a Ranger. One of my greatest passions is macro and insect photography. There's nothing quite like getting lost in a woodland, meadow, or any habitat teeming with insects. The thrill of not knowing what you'll discover, or what fascinating behaviours you'll observe, is unmatched. Sometimes though, you set out with a specific goal in mind. When I learned that Rye hosts a colony of Ruby-tailed Wasps, I couldn't resist heading out to try and discover them. After visiting my family in Hastings, I made my way there, eager to find these dazzling insects.

Ruby-tailed Wasps, also known as Cuckoo Wasps, are truly remarkable. These tiny creatures, measuring just 6-10mm, are adorned with brilliant metallic colours - ruby, emerald, and sapphire - that make them stand out. They favour umbellifer flowers such as Hogweed and Wild Carrot, which are not only their preferred food source, but also the easiest flowers to photograph them on.

Ruby-tailed Wasp
Ruby-tailed Wasp © Matt Rich

Finding them requires a keen eye, especially when there's a cluster of umbellifers. These wasps are solitary and can be found in various habitats, from sandy quarries to rocky outcrops and tree trunks. The female lays her eggs in the nests of other solitary bees and wasps, particularly Mason Bees. The larvae then consume the host's eggs and the pollen left by the unsuspecting parent, a behaviour known as kleptoparasitism. It sounds gruesome, but it plays an important role in controlling the populations of other insects and maintaining a balance in the ecosystem.

Ruby-tailed Wasp
Ruby-tailed Wasp © Barry Yates

One of the most intriguing aspects of these wasps is their defence mechanisms. They have a hard body cuticle that protects them from stings, and their concave abdomen allows them to curl up into a ball when threatened. Despite their small size, they are well-equipped to survive in the wild. If you need another reason to take them into your heart, they don't have a stinger, which means they pose no danger to humans. What's not to love!

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Comments

  • Eleanor Newbould:

    Wow! Thank you so much for your wonderful photographs of this beautiful creature.

    01 Feb 2025 20:04:00

  • Sophie Saunders:

    Hi Matt, I have never seen a ruby tailed wasp but have enjoyed your photographs and account very much. I shall certainly look out for them from now on.

    15 Feb 2025 09:49:00

  • Martin Jenner:

    Hi Matt,
    A few things: you probably know there are quite a few species of cuckoo wasps with several genus contained within, and they are not always easy to separate. Several of these have a matching colour form such as the one you photographed which probably belongs to the genus Chrysis and are usually separated by the shape of the teeth on the last abdominal segment which is not always easy. Two species with a similar matching colour form have no teeth just a wedged shape last abdominal segment and belong to the genus Chrysura. Chrysura radians used to be fairly common in the south and C. hirsuta is known from Scotland and is uncommon. Also the females do have stings as they belong to the group Aculeate hymenoptera, it is probably just that they are ineffective agains Homo sapiens such as some of the solitary bees, beware Lasioglossums though and especially watch out for Spider hunting wasps, the latter packs a powerful punch.

    Hope this useful. Martin

    15 Feb 2025 09:54:00

  • Felicity Flutter:

    What a stunning insect and fantastic photos, thank you for introducing me to this wasp!

    15 Feb 2025 12:14:00

  • David Phillips:

    Confirming these are stunning little guys – first saw them at Minsmere RSPB reserve.Will certainly be checking umbellifers at Rye on my next summer visit! Lovely images too thank you.

    16 Feb 2025 07:56:00

  • Hilary:

    Ruby tailed wasps… very interesting piece and beautiful photographs. Thank you

    16 Feb 2025 08:36:00

  • Terry Mahoney:

    I’ve seen a couple of Ruby-Tailed Wasps in amongst the colony of leaf cutter bees I was nurturing here in Sidlesham. I learnt that they lay their eggs i the holes (that I drilled in wood) where the leaf cutter bees la their eggs. They Ruby Tailed waap larvae hatches out first and eats tge Leaf Cutter eggs/larvae. Looks like the Ruby-Tailed wasp have won the day again. Mid-June, just at that point in the year when the leaf cutter bees should be starting to hatches out. However each of the holes where the bees should be hatching out have the much smaller hole in the leaves nowthat normally seal of the hole for the winter. Thus shows me the Ruby Tailed wasp has already hatched out. So, from approximately 600 holes that leaf cutter bees were hatching out from a couple of years ago,,I doubt there’ll be any this year

    14 Jun 2025 13:11:00

  • Angharad Williams:

    Great and clever photos ! We have a ‘resident’ on the stone
    wall of our house in Llanfwrog,Anglesey…very intriguing watching it fly into a very small hole with collected leaves…it must leave though at a different exit,as we never see it fly out !!!!! Beautiful colours and a very clever,much needed insect Thank you for the interesting information.

    24 Jun 2025 10:29:00

  • Rebecca McIntyre:

    I saw one of these this morning in my garden in North Shields. Never seen one before – are they widespread accross the UK?

    24 Jun 2025 18:43:00

  • Mark:

    Just seen one of these very colourful wasps. Was supprised how small it was

    12 Jul 2025 13:14:00

  • Ady:

    I rescued one from a spider’s web today just before the spider grabbed it. I’ve seen them before near our sandstone house.Their colour is unbeleivably bright if seen in direct sunlight, metalic pink and blue. I wonder how their crazy colours evolved. I guess it must be to do with attracting a mate.

    14 Jun 2026 17:02:00

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