European paper wasps and yellowjacket wasps can be a problem in the Okanagan during late summer and fall. They gatecrash picnics and outdoor gatherings and can be a source of anxiety because of the possibility of being stung. Last week, I stopped at a nice coffee shop for a cup of coffee and a croissant … Continue reading The Picnic Wasps (Paper Wasps and Yellowjackets)
Tag: Hymenoptera
The Fly Hunters (Sand Wasps)
I found some other interesting characters while following up on the gentle long horned bees, including a few American sand wasps. I had seen quite a few sand wasps in coastal British Columbia a couple of years ago and was able to get a video of one digging a nest. I have been on the … Continue reading The Fly Hunters (Sand Wasps)
The Gentle Long Horned Bees
I followed up on a bee sample that someone had dropped off at my office and found hundreds of bees in an area around some flowering beds. The bees were long horned bees (Melissodes sp.). These bees are gentle and rarely sting unless they are handled or seriously disturbed. There were a lot of them … Continue reading The Gentle Long Horned Bees
At the Rabbitbrush
I was down in Osoyoos for a hike on a beautiful fall day in September. The morning started off a bit cold, so we left Kelowna later than planned, but it warmed up quickly by the time we arrived. We heard unusual bird calls when we got there and a quick recorded sound check on … Continue reading At the Rabbitbrush
Insects Do Sleep Too – Nighty Night
Buzzing bees, fluttering butterflies, marching ants - I am always amazed at the active lives insects lead, and sometimes I wish I could borrow some of their energy. They fly or walk in search of food and mates, and some even hunt for their meals. In addition, they must stay alert to escape predators lurking … Continue reading Insects Do Sleep Too – Nighty Night
Bugs in the Milkweeds
It is always nice to see the swallowtail butterflies feeding and frolicking around milkweeds at bloom. I decided to take a closer look at the milkweeds this year because I had come across a patch with a lot of bees and other bugs. Milkweeds are called milkweeds because of the milky sap they produce. They … Continue reading Bugs in the Milkweeds
The Leafrollers and the Wasp Enemies
I saw a lot of leafrollers on ornamental plants including wild roses, snow berries, chokecherries, Saskatoons, dogwood, Oregon grapes etc. this spring. As their name implies, leafrollers are caterpillars that roll up leaves. The leaves provide a home, food, and some protection from predators and parasitoids. The caterpillars are greenish to yellowish, have dark heads … Continue reading The Leafrollers and the Wasp Enemies
It’s Time to Smell the Roses
We had some much needed rains this spring and the wild rose flowers were spectacular and smelled divine. I made it a point to stop to smell the roses during my walks while taking stock of the bugs on the roses 😊. There were a lot of honey bees, mining bees, bumble bees etc. also … Continue reading It’s Time to Smell the Roses
A Winter’s Delight (Rose Gall Wasps)
I collected wild rose galls last spring and successfully reared some wasps from them. I had forgotten all about the galls and wasps until I came across a banditry of chickadees pecking at galls on a cold winter's day. "Banditry of chickadees" 🙂 - love it, had to look that up. I collected a few … Continue reading A Winter’s Delight (Rose Gall Wasps)
At the Goldenrods
I meant to finish this post last fall but did not get to it. I had a lot of fun summer days at the goldenrods - there were bees and flies buzzing around, lots of wasps, butterflies, and I even saw a lone grasshopper at the goldenrods. The bees and some of the wasps and … Continue reading At the Goldenrods
