What's under the microscope? This week, it is a stealth bomber dressed up as a wasp. It is a mimic of the deadly kind.

Is it a wasp? Is it a plane? It’s Conopidae!

Believe it or not, Conopids are part of the order of flies (Diptera; meaning “two wings”). They are wasp mimics.

This is a common defense mechanism known as Batesian mimicry where harmless organisms pretend to be dangerous ones. In the case of conopids, they “pretend” to look like wasps to intimidate hungry scavengers.

That said, they themselves are parasitoids; intercepting other fly or bee species mid-air to lay eggs in them. Their larvae then develop and pupate inside of the host.