Big Blue Flying Insect
August 17, 2009
These bugs are living in a stone wall where I work in Rhinebeck, NY (it is summer right now). They fly out and bring back grasshoppers that seem to be paralyzed when they bring them back to the wall. They disappear with them in the wall and then a few days or weeks later (not sure) they drop the shell of the grasshopper out of the wall-like the entire inside has been eaten out.aaaaaaaa
Teresa B
Rhinebeck, NY

Great Black Wasp

Dear Teresa,
This is one of two species of Thread Waist Wasps that we have trouble distinguishing from one another.  We believe it is a Blue Mud Wasp, Chalybion californicum, which according to BugGuide is :  “A large, active, blue-black wasp with irridescent blue wings. Frequents flowers for nectar and buildings for nest sites. Compare “Steel-Blue Cricket Hunter”, (or “Blue Mud Dauber”), Chlorion aerarium, which preys on crickets. This is about the same size as Chalybion, and is said to have a longer pedicel (narrow waist between thorax and abdomen). The body of Chalybion looks much more hairy, and more steely-blue, based on specimen photos.”  The other possibility is that it is Chlorion aerarium, also depicted on BugGuide. which states:  “Habitat  Although generally not closely associated with humans, they are found wherever their hosts (Gryllus crickets) are found, which could include close proximity to homes (though not so much as Sceliphron and Chalybion). Chlorion is usually found in open areas such as meadows, overgrown fields, dunes, beach edges, etc., although they may not necessarily hunt in the same habitat as they nest. They are sometimes associated with the Cicada Killer where the ranges of these two wasps overlap, C. aerarium digging burrows off side of the larger wasps nest (O’Brien, 1989).
Season  Late July and early August (in Michigan)
Remarks  Females mass-provision several serial cells, each containing from 2 to 9 nymphs or adults of Gryllus pennsylvanicus. Prey are transported on the ground, venter-up, with the wasp’s mandibles grasping the antennae of the cricket.“  It is worth noting that the adults of both species feed on nectar and pollen, and the crickets are used as food for the brood.  We will contact Eric Eaton to see if he can provide the exact identification.

Great Black Wasp

Daniel:
Ok, here are all the identifications:
The “blue mud dauber” or “Chlorion” is neither.  These are two nice images of a female “great black wasp,” Sphex pensylvanicus.  They hunt katydids as food for their larval offspring, as the submitter observed.
Keep up the great work!
Eric

Black Thin Waisted Insect
August 7, 2009
Like to know what kind of I think wasp this is. It is jet black and thin waisted.
Doesn’t matter
Long Island, New York

Thread Waisted Wasp

Hi again Doesn’t Matter,
The significant identifying feature of your Thread Waisted Wasp, according to BugGuide is:  “The blue-black body and silve[r] (sic)/gold patches are distinctive. The patches may wear off in older individuals (Troy Bartlett).”  BugGuide also indicates:  “Female digs burrow and provisions with a single large lepidopteran larvae. These are reported to include various moths from the families Noctuidae, Notodontidae (especially), and Sphingidae, and also skippers (Hesperidae).  The wasp is commonly found on wildflowers with large clusters of blossoms, such as Queen Anne’s Lace, from summer into fall. One frequently observes mating pairs on the flowers.”  We suspect this is a female prowling among the foliage for caterpillars to feed her brood.  Your wonderful photos represent the first time this species is represented on our site, to our best recollection.

Thread Waisted Wasp

Orange Digging Bee
August 2, 2009
Hello, In my garden I have multiple bees digging multiple holes almost exactly 8″ apart from eachother. The bees are about 2″ long and their wings flutter constantly. They are not aggressive just very busy digging perfect little holes!
Jody
Central Massachusetts

Great Golden Digger Wasp with Nest

Hi Jody,
This is a Great Golden Digger Wasp, Sphex ichneumoneus, a species found throughout the continental U.S.  The Great Golden Digger Wasp is not aggressive toward humans and it will help keep the katydid and cricket population down in your garden because that is what the female wasp provisions her underground nest with so the wasp larvae will have a ready food supply.

Thank You so much for helping me ID this wasp.  I really like the little critters and enjoy watching them, they seem to be just as curious about me as well. I appreciate your help!
Jody

great golden digger wasp?
July 22, 2009
In my backyard on the milkflower flowers
Boog
Broadkill beach, de

Great Golden Digger Wasp

Dear Boog,
Yes, this is a Great Golden Digger Wasp and it is a beautiful photograph.

Great Golden Digger Wasp

Wednesday, July 15, 2009
While working in the yard, we couldn’t help but notice the three Great Golden Digger Wasps, Sphex ichneumoneus,  that were gathering nectar from the blooming onions.  Is it any wonder we have a healthy population of these wasps?  There are plenty of Katydids in our garden to provide a bounteous  food source for the young.  According to BugGuide:  “Female digs burrow almost vertically. Cells are dug radiating out from central tunnel. Larvae are provisioned with crickets, camel crickets, katydids (long-horned grasshoppers). One paralyzed prey is placed in each cell, and one egg is laid on it. One generation per year.“

Great Golden Digger Wasp

These Great Golden Digger Wasps are most active in their quest for nectar.  We had to be most patient in our attempts to capture these images.  We lament that we were unable to get a good image of the three Great Golden Digger Wasps together.

Great Golden Digger Wasp