Stories in the Amber

Parasitic beetles are uncommon today, but their natural history tells us how beetles like this one with its bizarre, antler-like lobes thrived in the amber forest. Though social wasps are one of its prey, such beetles do not have to encounter a wasp in order to parasitize it. Instead, the beetle lays its eggs on or near flowers. When its larvae hatch, they wait for a wasp to alight on the flower to imbibe nectar. The larvae then grab hold of the wasp and hitch a ride back to its nest, where they transform into grubs and dine on wasp larvae. Later the grubs pupate in the soil and then go on to continue the cycle.