Uneven: a parasitoid wasp has a partially missing antennae.

In general, “parasite” evokes a pretty negative reaction, and when speaking of actual parasitic lifeforms, for a lot of people, that reaction involves a healthy amount of skin-crawling. But as it happens there are a lot of parasites that have nothing to do with people. Included among them are a large swath of wasps who are the nightmares of other insects and arthropods rather than humans. Many of them are very tiny, and are likely just another “gnat” to (just another) human. This one was meandering on a rhododendron flower eating and cleaning itself and, incidentally, being fairly cooperative with a photographer. (Four more color photos below.)

A parasitoid wasp goes to feed at the heart of a rhododendron flower.

Parasitoid wasp on a rhododendron petal.

A parasitoid wasp grooms its antennae on a rhododendron petal.

Tiny world: a parasitoid wasp at the edge of a rhododendron flower.