How big is larvea?

How big are wasp larvae? Well, that depends. Adult Hymenoptera (wasps) found in North America can be of various sizes, from less than 1mm, to more than 5cm in the case of some Tarantula Hawks. And some Ichneumons can be in excess of 15cm when counting a very long ovipositor (the egg laying device). Why is this important to know? Because, to some degree there is a relationship between the size of a mature larva, and the size of the adult wasp. Many paper wasps, for example, have larva that are close to the same size as the adult, usually just slightly shorter in length than the adult. However, their larvae are often fatter than the adult. So, the short answer is from less than 1mm long, to several cm's long, depending upon the family, species and sometimes the subspecies.