[NatureNS] Thread-waisted Wasps

From: Angus MacLean <cold_mac@hotmail.com>
To: naturens <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Thu, 22 Aug 2013 15:01:22 -0200
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I find these wasps to be fascinating in their habits. Many can be found low=
 in the vegetation where they float around never seeming to land. Presumabl=
y they are looking for spiders=2C etc. In any case they remind me of Crane =
Flies since they seem to require no effort to fly. I've tried without succe=
ss to photograph them so I have never identified any of them.

=20

Ammophila wasps (also thread-waisted wasps) prey only on caterpillars=2C I =
believe=2C so they can be found on vegetation & photographed readily. Never=
theless difficult to i.d. since there are an astonishing number of species =
in N.A.

=20

If you can tolerate mud daubers on your property=2C they would very interes=
ting to watch due to (1) the structure they build. Each cell is composed of=
 "ribs' which meet in the centre perfectly & which has an artistic appearan=
ce (think Buckminster Fuller & Expo 67). After creating a few of these cell=
s=2C it then covers them up with mud. (2) Mud daubers are heavily parasitiz=
ed by wasps=2C ants=2C bee flies & other flies. The most interesting one is=
 the Cuckoo Wasp. These wasps are metallic coloured=2C blue or green=2C wit=
h a "shell of armour". The cuckoo wasp enters the mud-dauber's abode=2C is =
discovered whereby it curls up into a ball. The mud dauber attempts to driv=
e it out by stinging it but when unsuccessful=2C leaves it there. The cucko=
o wasp waits for the mud dauber to return with spiders=2C lays its eggs on =
them & departs.

=20

Angus=20
 		 	   		  =

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<head>
<style><!--
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margin:0px=3B
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font-size: 12pt=3B
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<body class=3D'hmmessage'><div dir=3D'ltr'>I find these wasps to be fascina=
ting in their habits. Many can be found&nbsp=3Blow in the vegetation where =
they float around never seeming to land. Presumably they are looking for sp=
iders=2C etc. In any case they remind me of Crane Flies since they seem to =
require no effort to fly. I've tried without success to photograph them so =
I have never identified any of them.<BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
Ammophila wasps (also thread-waisted wasps) prey only on caterpillars=2C I =
believe=2C so they can be found on vegetation &amp=3B photographed readily.=
 Nevertheless difficult to i.d. since there are an astonishing number of sp=
ecies in N.A.<BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
If you can tolerate mud daubers on your property=2C they would very interes=
ting to watch due to (1) the structure they build. Each cell is composed of=
 "ribs' which meet in the centre perfectly &amp=3B which&nbsp=3Bhas an arti=
stic appearance (think&nbsp=3BBuckminster Fuller &amp=3B Expo 67). After cr=
eating a few&nbsp=3Bof these cells=2C it then covers them&nbsp=3Bup with mu=
d. (2) Mud daubers are heavily parasitized by wasps=2C ants=2C bee flies &a=
mp=3B other flies. The most interesting one is the Cuckoo Wasp. These wasps=
&nbsp=3Bare metallic coloured=2C blue or green=2C with a "shell of armour".=
 The cuckoo wasp enters the mud-dauber's abode=2C is discovered whereby it =
curls up into a ball. The&nbsp=3Bmud dauber attempts to drive it out by sti=
nging it&nbsp=3Bbut&nbsp=3Bwhen unsuccessful=2C leaves it there. The cuckoo=
 wasp waits for&nbsp=3Bthe mud dauber to return with spiders=2C lays its eg=
gs on them &amp=3B departs.<BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
Angus&nbsp=3B<BR> 		 	   		  </div></body>
</html>=

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