Have you ever encountered a wasp about 4 to 5 cm long? At the risk of anthropomorphising, as it raises into the air, hovering near you, observing you, one feels the presence of a being so confident in its position at the top of the food chain, that it judges you, it evaluates you as a non-risk (perhaps unwisely), and, after a brief few moments, moves on with its day–to find a large spider to sting and stash away in its offspring's pantry. It's entirely harmless to us, and the adults drink nectar from flowers. It's enemies are, I'm sure, other parasitoid wasps.
Cryptocheilus annulatus is one such wasp. From Hvar island, Croatia. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/130544437
@albertcardona Entirely harmless, really? *Pepsis* is similar, and I thought its famously agonizing sting was a necessary adaptation to being a large-spider parasitoid.
@radehi A wasp that (mis)uses venom on a human is wasting precious resources, and likely only did that in response to a perceived existential threat, real or not. We aren't their prey. Also, and unlike, say, a venomous snake bite, a wasp sting can't kill except via anaphylaxis.
@albertcardona Oh, so you just mean as harmless as *Pepsis*?
It's true that I've spent a lot of time around wasps that didn't sting me. But I also wouldn't describe the wasp stings I *have* received as "harmless" 😃
