Parasitoids "insects that parasitize other insects"

Parasitoids are fascinating insects that develop by parasitizing other insects. They belong to the order Hymenoptera, the same group that includes ants, bees, and wasps. 

A female parasitoid lays her eggs on or inside a host insect. Once the larvae hatch, they begin feeding on the host's tissues. Unlike typical predators, parasitoid larvae keep their host alive for most of their development, creating what seems like a real-life "zombie." Only after the larvae have fully grown and pupated does the host finally die, and the adult parasitoid emerges to begin the cycle again.

Host larvae with parasitoid pupae (Photo: Utsav Biswas)