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Photo#136201
Wasp Grub? - Isodontia

Wasp Grub? - Isodontia
Saratoga Springs, Utah County, Utah, USA
August 12, 2007
Size: ~20mm
My father-in-law keeps pipe stored in racks, and some critter likes to stuff the pipes full of grass. He needed to use a piece while I was there, and we fished out this nest. It had lots of grass in it, 2 grubs, and maybe a dozen of these green lacewings. All of the lacewings that had not been eaten were paralyzed but still breathing. I realize grubs are indistinct; is there any way to get close to an id on this? I'm thinking some flavor of hunting wasp, and a big one at that--these grubs were huge.

If it helps, the nest was clearly plugged and long-abandoned. These grubs had been provisioned and left to mature. I'm guessing with the lateness of the year that they were meant to overwinter?

Yes!
Nice image shows the paralyzed prey: tree crickets in the genus Oecanthus (easily confused with lacewings at firts glance). The wasp that did this is called a "grass-carrier" in the genus Isodontia. I have noted several reports over the last couple years of these wasps nesting in the tracks of windows, and other human creations. Normally, they nest in pre-existing cavities in logs and dead trees. Deforestation may have them resorting to alternatives:-)

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