Seibou (blue bee) - Seibou

Japanese: セイボウ(青蜂) - セイボウ

A general term for insects in the Hymenoptera family, Ceratidae. One species, the giant ceratidae, has a body length of about 16 mm and shines purple-blue or blue-blue. It is widely distributed in southern Europe, Africa, and Asia. Females lay eggs in nests of nesting wasps, and the larvae feed on the host and moth larvae that have been collected as food. Adults emerge in August and September. There are several dozen other species in the Ceratidae family in Japan, all of which are beautiful with a strong metallic luster in colors such as red, blue, green, and purple. They often parasitize the nests of solitary wasps, but there are also exceptions where they parasitize the cocoons of scaly moths.

Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

膜翅(まくし)目セイボウ科の昆虫の総称。その１種オオセイボウは体長16mm内外，紫藍(しらん)色ないし青藍色に輝く。ヨーロッパ南部，アフリカ，アジアに広く分布。雌は営巣中のトックリバチ類の巣中に産卵，幼虫は寄主とその餌として集められたガの幼虫などを食べる。成虫は８〜９月に発生。セイボウ科は他に日本には数十種あり，赤，青，緑，紫など金属光沢が強い美しい種類ばかりで，単独生活をするハチ類の巣に寄生することが多いがイラガの繭に寄生する例外もある。

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