Photo of the Day
Each day, we highlight one extraordinary photograph from National Geographic. Check out more of our photos here.
Close-up of a technicolor wasp.
September 2, 2026 | A Colorful Sting
Parasitic wasps like the Torymus calcaratus depend on other insects to complete their life cycle. With a long, needle-like organ called an ovipositor (bottom right), they inject their eggs into the larvae of a host species. At the Stuttgart State Museum of Natural History’s entomology collection, photographer Thorben Danke took 289 shots of the symbiotic predator and combined them using a stacking technique to create this sharp, vibrant image. This photo is featured in the "In Focus" series in the September 2026 issue of National Geographic.
