Biologists at Kobe University in Japan discovered that male stonemason wasps use the spikes on their genitals to protect themselves from predators. The scientists’ work was published in the journal current biology
Male bees, respectively, do not have venom like females, they cannot sting the enemy. For this reason, they were believed to be vulnerable for a long time. However, scientists have discovered that this is not entirely true. The male mason wasp has two thin, retractable “genital spines” on either side of its phallus. Wasps use them to hold females in place during mating.
Initially, researchers in the lab studied the life cycle of hornets. One of the team members felt a “sting” when he held the male insect in his hand. Scientists conducted an experiment to find out what it was.
They brought Japanese tree frogs to the lab, placed them in containers with male stonemason wasps, and set up cameras. Apparently, male hornets wag their pointed penises when they encounter a predator – when frogs try to eat the insect, they injure the frogs and sting them with genital spines.
In 35.3% of cases, tree frogs spat out resisting wasps and left them alone. The team repeated the experiment with male hornets whose genitalia were removed and swallowed.