Velvet Ant Wasp

I was excited when I captured these images thinking that I had witnessed a predatory attack. However, after some research, I found that I had documented the mating process, the female being the wingless wasp underneath the larger male.

I am glad I didn’t get too close, as the female has the reputation for one of the world’s most painful stings, some species being referred to by the nickname ‘cow killer’.

Location is Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. Alongside a stream and paddy fields.