Wordless Wednesday: O! Celli!

This photo must be viewed large for the best startle effect. Wasps are the best animals for viewing ocelli—the simple eyes between the two compound eyes that many arthropods have. I love it when they are clearly visible. I actually gasp. 

These wasps parasitize moth larvae. Usually people know ichneumonid wasps by their extremely long ovipositor, which looks like a huge stinger (but it is not). It is used to drill holes in substances to lay their eggs. This species, Ophion, does not have a long ovipositor. 

Ophion was a Greek god who ruled the earth. 

The 3 ocelli on a short-tailed ichneumonid wasp (Ophion)

Click to view more Wordless Wednesday posts
and to submit your own.

_/\_/\_