New Species of Wasp

Terrifying new species of wasp with a stinger 'like a fierce weapon' is discovered

The team, from the University of Turku in Finland, found the new species living in the Amazon rainforest

If you're not a fan of insects, look away now (Image: Moment RF)

If you’re not a fan of insects , you might want to look away now.

Researchers have discovered a terrifying new species of wasp, whose stinger they describe as being ‘like a fierce weapon.’


The team, from the University of Turku in Finland, found the new species living in the Amazon rainforest.

Professor Ilari Sääksjärvi, who worked on the study, said: “The stinger of the new parasitoid wasp called Clistopyga crassicaudata is not only long but also very wide, in comparison with the size of the species.


The wasp has a huge stinger (Image: University of Turku)

“I have studied tropical parasitoid wasps for a long time but I have never seen anything like it.

“The stinger looks like a fierce weapon.”

All female wasps have a stinger, which is used to either inject venom or lay eggs.

Professor Sääksjärvi explained: “The egg is placed either on or inside the host, and, as it also works as a stinger, the female wasp can inject venom into host in order to paralyse it.”

The new wasp species specialises in laying its eggs into spiders, or spider egg-sacs.

The wasps seek out spiders living in nests and paralyse them with a quick venom injection.

Then the female wasp lays its eggs on the spider and the hatching larva eats the paralysed spider as well as the possible spider eggs or hatchlings.