Kingdom Animalia Family Crabronidae Tribe Larrini Phylum Arthropoda Order Hymenopterans | Class Insecta Subfamily Crabroninae Scientific name Larra Rank Genus | |
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Similar Larra bicolor, Hymenopterans, Larra anathema, Scapteriscus, Crabroninae | ||
Wasps in the genus Larra are parasitoids which attack various species of mole crickets. Found throughout the tropics, they have gained prominence as integrated pest management agents.
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Life cycle
Larra wasps feed on nectar as adults. Female wasps hunt adult or late instar mole crickets and lay their eggs upon them, first temporarily paralyzing them by stinging them on the underside. The larva, upon hatching, gradually consumes the host, eventually killing it. It then pupates in or near the remains. The adults are solitary and do not form colonies. Incubation and development are highly variable in length and dependent upon temperature; in winter the larvae may enter diapause. Each Larra species preferentially hunts a particular set of prey species, even when related prey is available.
The temporary paralysis of the host is a distinctive feature of the genus. Other related wasps generally paralyze the host permanently and bury it so that the larva can consume it undisturbed.
Larra polita, which is endemic to the Philippines, has been successfully introduced to Hawaii to help control Gryllotalpa orientalis, the oriental mole cricket.