Late Campodorus shots

Since the sawfly larvae are now nearly full size, and the leaves are turning brown, I don't think I'll get too many more shots of the Campodorus.

The first shot shows the Campodorus ovipositing into a pavidus larva that is just on the other side of the leaf, through the hole. I have no idea how she knows where it is. Note the wings held high, presumably to protect them from damage should the sawfly flail around, which they often do.


In this next instance I watched the whole approach. The Campodorus walked from a higher leaf and arrived on the leaf shown. Within a second she had spun round and tried to lay in the tail of the larva, but its reflex triggered and she was thrown about a centimetre away. Undaunted, she tried a very slow, sneaky, second approach, this time aiming for the front of the larva, which doesn't move during the reflex. The reflex was triggered a second time, but she was untouched and continued to lay.