File:Сколия-гигант - Megascolia maculata - Gelbstirnige Dolchwespe (26990355113).jpg

Megascolia has the biggest size in the fauna of Europe from the species of order Hymenoptera and the family Scoliidae. The name come from the Greek. μεγα mega, large, genus Scolia from the Greek σκολιός. skolios, curved. Distribution areas are North Africa, Southern Europe, Turkey, Middle East, Central Asia, the Crimea, the Caucasus and the south of the European part of Russia. In the the mountains rising to a height of 1150 m above sea level. In terms of social behavior they considered as the most primitive kind, as they lead solitary lives. Males reach a length of 26-32 mm, females 32-55 mm. The adults appears in late May, are diurnal insects, they feed on the nectar at the daytime, and spend the night, buried in an earthen litter. Considered as predators because parasites on the larvae of beetles. This is usually a larva of the rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes nasicornis) in the last larval stage, and stag beetle (Lucanus cervus), Walker (Polyphylla fullo) and anoxia villosa eligible. The female flies to about 15 cm above the earth surface. It tracks the larva with the sense of smell and digs before her. The female attacked the larva, It paralyzes the larva prick the tip chest nerve ganglion, and then glue one egg to the underside of the beetle larva. The Megascolia larva feeds on the host beetle larva, eating her completely, and then weaves a light cocoon of light and hibernate.