Discolia soror

Family: Scoliidae

Order: Hymenoptera

Identification:

Black wasp, 20-25mm long, with iridescent blue wings. Legs covered in short bristles. Male wasps are more slender and have longer antennae.

Distribution:

Mainland eastern Australia, in open bushland and suburban gardens.

Life history:

These wasps do not make a communal nest, but often form small swarms over an area of turf, a compost heap or around a shrub. They can also been seen taking nectar at flowers. The females burrow into the soil to locate scarab beetle grubs, which they sting and lay an egg on; the resulting wasp larva consumes the scarab, to emerge the next season as an adult wasp.

Pest Status:

Females can sting but rarely do, as they are not aggressive. Potentially beneficial as predators of scarab grubs.

Management:

Control is not necessary. Ignore them.