No I don’t mean People magazine’s 2018 “Sexiest Man Alive” Idris Elba..
This is about a parasitic wasp that has oddly been laying eggs inside of….. stink bugs.
I’m not sure if that’s considered “insect incest” (try saying that 5 times really fast), but here’s the tea. This new species of wasp was found In Mexico and they belong to what’s called a genus or a group of species known as “Idris” found in 1865. What’s interesting about these species is that they like to lay eggs inside of get this…SPIDERS!
WHYYYY would they want to do that?! I don’t know but scientists took some DNA and compared it to the “material left behind from stink bugs” to confirm it was indeed a parasitic species.
Now on to the “Elba”..it was the ACTUAL NAME researchers in Guanajuato, Mexico gave the wasp-hence the “Idris Elba” was born.
Here’s why it matters! For one, this discovery can definitely help control the stink bug and its invasiveness in major countries in the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and our pwn back yard in North America. It’s literally a pest to more than 74 different plants across the world including cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale, cabbage, you get the picture. Since Mexico produces more than 70% of the broccoli production its REAAAALLLY important somebody puts a stop to the FUNK.
