??? I only got this one crappy photo because this plant was near a Monarda fistulosa individual, and I just assumed it was a color variant. I was not aware that M. brevis existed. But, this looks like a pretty good fit. Found on an extremely steep limestone barren, accessed via rappel.
Found under a cluster of Braconid cocoons:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/236770388
Moves inside if something touches it.
Parasitic larva attached to Theridion sp. beat from pine tree, will try to rear larva, also posted to BG here:
https://bugguide.net/node/view/1523012
Emerged from callirhytis gall. Observation of gall - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/151671831
Known from suitland bog
So, this is a polyergus bilateral gynandromorph! ½ worker caste (red), ½ alate (black). The mandibles, eyes, single wing, and antennae are the more obvious caste traits reflected in each half of this individual. Found them shortly after leaving the colony possibly (I found one a few feet away).
See: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/124878696
& https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/124879042
Ectoparasite on cf. Hypsosinga rubens, see https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/104954744
Found 1/14, pupated 2/1, emerged 2/9. Ruler is in mm.
This individual emerged from a cocoon (see last image in series) suspended in the vacant web of Parasteatoda tepidariorum. I will work on getting the appropriate images to key it to species, if possible and update these images as I can. Images of this larva and another of the same suspected species can be seen at:
Lifer!
please help with id
National seashore
growing on leaky water line
Same species of Zatypota as i saw yesterday:
Https://iNaturalist.org/observations/189055793
Here's the host spider details:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/189147426
Here's a video of it attacking a spider:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3UA1VTEA8w
After she attacked the spider dropped off the line onto my arm and i placed the web back on the top of the shed, she took notice and went up to do her deed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gU7CcuDeGM
Fits with this: 1-4 feet. Wand-like. Axillary inflorescences. Feathered/anastomotic. Minute, spreading hairs on (often purplish) stem and leaves. Basal leaves.
Crow’s Nest Natural Area Preserve
Saw this wasp appear to lay an egg on or in this black swallowtail caterpillar. Caterpillar deployed its defense mechanism and wasp flew away. This was the only picture I got of the interaction. Looking for an ID on the wasp.
This wasp is underwater searching for its host, Petrophila sp. caterpillars (also aquatic). I collected one of the wasps and sent it to Andrew Bennett at the Canadian National Collection of Insects. He identified it as Tanychela, and it would key to the species T. pilosa, but he thinks it could be a new species!
Found under a romaine lettuce leaf. Hard and dry to the touch, and seems to be steadfast about remaining in place when gently prodded. Note slightly raised posterior. I put it in a jar with a dribble of water to keep the lettuce moist, and it hatched on Aug 22! That obs can be seen here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/184034156
I am guessing it is a parasitic wasp and that the chrysalis was a different species, but guidance welcome!
Looks like this lady wasn't hanging out near my bee hotel for nothing.
There currently are other wasps (link to observation: Passaloecus?) building their nests inside the smaller tubes of the bee hotel, and this wasp went right for one nest that looked half-finished, and then later on tried to stick her ovipositor into what looked like a finished, plugged nest.
The last picture shows the ichneumonid wasp together with the host species.
At least 100 plants in a shagnamnous wetlant. Seems to be out of range for what was predicted from the recent split.
Found on American Sycamore (182127709).
Parasitized some kind of spider (182127714).
It was hard to photograph; the lighting was a challenge, and the larva was very alert. When I moved the branch for better lighting, the larva began to flail around. It was a little comical, like: "I have a dead spider and I'm not afraid to use it!" Um, dead spider.
It was interesting the way it would form a circle, as if mimicking the spider's abdomen to give the illusion of a live spider.
I rechecked it about 3 hours later (182127715) and it had dropped the spider. (No sign of the spider; likely scavenged by ants.)
Looked again the next day (182127718) and it was building a cocoon.
Found on American Sycamore (182127709).
Originally seen 2 days prior (182127713), still holding onto the remnants of its spider host. Revisited 1 day ago (182127718); then it was spinning its cocoon and I could still see the larva moving inside.
I can still see some movement, but it seems more compressed and less active. Possibly now a pupa?
I was surprised that the cocoon hasn't amounted to anything but a thin, loose structure. There are now tiny droplets at the bottom. We did have a tiny bit of rain; just sprinkles, and for a short time. This should have been pretty well sheltered, though.
Hymenoptera order> Ichneumonidae family, membranous wings, has ant-like features