Tag Archives: Hymenoptera

09.20.2022 Two-fer Tuesday

Posted on September 20, 2022 by Steve Gingold

This time both in one post. This Dogwood Sawfly larva-Macremphytus tarsatus was wandering about on the tarp while I was splitting firewood. I was almost as excited as I was with the snake. Different day though. We do have a … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insects, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Common Sawfly, Dogwood Sawfly, Hymenoptera, Hyphantria cunea, insect, lepidoptera, Macremphytus tarsatus, New York Ironweed, Noctuoidea, owlet moth, Tiger Moth, Vernonia noveboracensis | 17 Comments

09.02.2022 Fighting Frustration

Posted on September 2, 2022 by Steve Gingold

This Mason Wasp-Parancistrocerus sp (possibly) was going from flower to flower on this American Burnweed-Erechtites hieraciifolius trying for some pollen in our yard. Eventually these flowers do open a bit more but for now the going was difficult.

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Flora, Insect Behavior, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Aculeata, American burnweed, Amherst, Erechtites hieraciifolius, Hymenoptera, insect, Mason Wasp, Massachusetts, native flowers, native plant, New England, Parancistrocerus sp, Vespidae, Vespoidea, western massachusetts, Wildflowers | 10 Comments

08.26.2022- Green Eyes

Posted on August 26, 2022 by Steve Gingold

I found the eyes of this Northern Paper Wasp-Polistes fuscatus to be very attractive especially with the lightly colored face. Just look at them. I can tell you from personal experience, so far, that they are not at all aggressive. … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, Insects, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, Hymenoptera, Massachusetts, New England, Northern Paper Wasp, Polistes fuscatus, Umbrella Paper Wasp, Vespidae, Vespoidea, western massachusetts | 17 Comments

08.11.2022 Fear not! But respect them as well.

Posted on August 11, 2022 by Steve Gingold

When someone mentions wasps, many of us shudder at the thought of being stung by one. But, yellowjackets and bald-faced hornets aside, many have no interest in us and are more fearful of us than we of them. All I … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insects, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Aculeata, Amherst, Ancistrocerus adiabatus, Bramble Mason Wasp, Eumeninae, Hymenoptera, Massachusetts, Vespoidea, western massachusetts | 20 Comments

08.08.2022 The night time is the right time

Posted on August 8, 2022 by Steve Gingold

For making more wasps apparently. Actually this was evening so not quite dark yet. Thread-waisted Wasps-Ammophila sp. These two were flying all over the boneset patch in tandem. Here you get a good look at just how “thread-waisted” these wasps … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Aculeata, Amherst, Ammophila sp., Hymenoptera, Massachusetts, New England, Sphecidae, Thread-waisted Wasp, western massachusetts | 12 Comments

08.03.2022 Wasp Wednesday

Posted on August 3, 2022 by Steve Gingold

Two Ichneumonid wasps from the yard. Great Golden Digger Wasp-Sphex ichneumoneus. The digger moniker comes from their habit of nesting in the ground and laying an egg in each cell then leaving an orthopteran (grasshopper, locust, katydid, etc) in there for … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, Insects, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, Hymenoptera, Ichneumonid, insect, Massachusetts, New England, Parasitoid wasp, Sphex ichneumoneus, Trogus pennator, western massachusetts | 16 Comments

07.18.2022 Sweet Bee

Posted on July 18, 2022 by Steve Gingold

I’ve admired the metallic sweat bees a few of you have posed recently. I wish that was what I am sharing today, but alas the only sweat bees in the yard recently have been these Furrow Bees. Sweat Bee-Furrow Bee-Halictus … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Aculeata, Amherst, Apoidea, Bee, Furrow Bees, Halictidae, Halictinae, Halictus, Hymenoptera, insect, Massachusetts, New England, Sweat Bee, western massachusetts | 14 Comments

07.15.2021 Thread-waisted Thursday

Posted on July 15, 2021 by Steve Gingold

This will not likely be a weekly or monthly title. Maybe annually although I do see this wasp family often enough. We’ll see. Maybe some of you would rather this is a one off. 🙂 I was chasing hover flies … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, Hymenoptera, Isodontia mexicana, Massachusetts, Mexican Grass-carrying Wasp, New England, Sphecidae, Thread-waisted Wasp, western massachusetts | 20 Comments

07.10.2021 Incoming!!! Run for your Life!

Posted on July 10, 2021 by Steve Gingold

The last thing you see before OW! Go ahead…click it, I dare you. LOL Another shot of a Bald-faced Yellowjacket-aka Bald-faced Hornet-Dolichovespula maculata.

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, Bald-faced Aerial Yellowjacket, bald-faced hornet, Bald-faced Yellowjacket, Dolichovespula maculata, Hymenoptera, Massachusetts, New England, Vespidae, western massachusetts | 38 Comments

07.07.2021 Wasp on a hot blue tarp

Posted on July 7, 2021 by Steve Gingold

With apologies to Mr. T. Williams. While splitting our firewood the other day I noticed this Dark Paper Wasp-Polistes fuscatus on the tarp covering what is already stacked. I guess the cool morning had it in a slight torpor as … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, Dark Paper Wasp, Hymenoptera, insect, Massachusetts, New England, Northern Paper Wasp, Polistes fuscatus, Umbrella Paper Wasp, western massachusetts | 29 Comments