An aggressive wasp has attacked a baby bird in its nest and then ate its head. This special attack was captured on camera during a study by Wageningen University & Research in Brazil. The s show that the attack took more than half an hour before the bird finally succumbed to its injuries.
This is the wasp species agelaia pallipes: a very aggressive species that occurs in a large part of Central and South America. These wasps were already known to eat crickets, moths and flies. The rotting flesh of dead animals is also on the menu. However, it has never been established that these wasps can also attack vertebrates, in any case there are only a few cases confirmed worldwide of this type of attack by other wasp species.
Researchers from Wageningen University & Research studied the reproductive behavior of the songbird lined seedeater (Sporophila lineola) in Brazil. For that purpose they had put up cameras near the nests. “We had already found dead young birds,” says researcher Sjoerd Frankhuizen. “But we had no idea a wasp might have done that. It was totally unexpected “.
The study published in the journal Ethology also states that a few days after the filmed attack, the researchers found even more baby birds with similar head wounds. Destroying nests plays a major role in bird selection pressure. Frankhuizen: “These s provide new insight into the possible nest predators. Until now, it has rarely been assumed that insects play a role in this natural selection”.
A possible explanation for the attack could be that the wasps were attracted to the scent of two dead baby birds near the nest. The nest in question first contained three young birds of between one or six days old. Two of them were dead before the investigators installed the camera. It is not possible to say with certainty what is the cause of death of the first two birds.
The s show how the wasp lands a few times on the head of the baby lined seedeater and bites the head until it bleeds. The little ones parents left the nest for a while. On a subsequent return, the wasp rips a piece of meat from its head and the baby bird stops moving.
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The s depict how the wasp bites the baby lined seedeater’s head until it bleeds after landing on it a few times. The little ones parents left the nest for a while. When the wasp returns, it tears a chunk of meat off the bird’s head, causing the young bird to cease flying.
Researchers from the University of Wageningen They had installed cameras close to the nests for that reason. The researcher Sjoerd Frankhuizen states, “We had already found dead young birds.” “But we were unaware that a wasp might have carried out that.” It was totally unexpected “.
The wasps’ attraction to the smell of two dead baby birds close to the nest could have contributed to the attack. Initially, there were three young birds in the aforementioned nest, who were either one or six days old. Before the investigators installed the camera, two of them had passed away. It is impossible to pinpoint the exact cause of the first two birds’ deaths.
A wasp attacked a baby bird in its nest, devouring its head afterward. This unique assault was caught on camera while Wageningen University was conducting research. The data indicates that the bird took over thirty minutes to succumb to its wounds following the attack.
This is the highly aggressive wasp species Agelaia pallipes, which is found throughout much of Central and South America. It was previously known that these wasps consumed flies, moths, and crickets. There is also decomposing animal flesh available. There are, however, very few documented instances of this kind of attack by other wasp species globally, and it has never been proven that these wasps can also attack vertebrates.
While traveling to Bristol for a rodent treatment, I came across this location on a wall of a nearby property. The remains of a dead bird were surrounded by a large number of flies. Upon closer examination, I saw that two wasps were feeding on the carcass alongside a large number of Greenbottle flies; this was the first time I had ever seen flies and wasps sharing a meal. Wasps will consume foods high in protein at the start of the season in order to fulfill their obligations to the colony and nest’s advancement. gathering supplies for the nest, grub food, and queen care As the season goes on, the wasps will start to gravitate toward sweeter foods, which is when they start to cause trouble at family barbecues and picnic areas.
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