Regular readers will know how the Ranger has an uneasy respect for waspkind. At this time of the year there aren’t many around yet and it’s easy to forget our yellowjacketed friends, but don’t be fooled: they are busy getting ready for the summer. The Asian Giant Hornet, Vespa mandarinia I was entertained to find, […]
Tag archives: wasps
Chrysis inaequidens, the jewelled cuckoo wasp
Look at this gorgeous North American solitary wasp (click the image for a bigger version if you like). Now wonder about its name – why is it named after a bird? After all, cuckoos are hardly known for their brightly coloured plumage. The answer lies in its lifestyle. Cuckoo wasps are so named because they […]
Wasp scissors are safe and simple.
In days gone by, we hear from time to time, people used to make their own entertainment. Indeed they did; and in 1946 a slim tome was published by Wm. A Bagley called ‘Things to make and do’. The descriptive powers of Mr Bagley set out to inspire the youth of post-war Britain to engage in such frugal but beneficial pastimes as […]
Four massive wasps
We heard you wanted to see a picture of four massive wasps. So here they are. These appear to be very dark specimens of Vespa mandarinia, the Asian giant hornet of which more here. I’m not even sure these ones are alive – it would be hard to get them to sit like that naturally, […]
Anatomy of a wasp
The Wasp Piñata
Wasps! Urgh! What are they good for? Absolutely nothing! Well, you’d think so by the amount of cursing they get around this time of year. People really don’t like wasps, but wasps can’t resist coming to have a look at – and taste of – the interesting things people like to do outside. So conflict […]
This is a ******* wasp!
Regular readers will know how the Ranger has an uneasy respect for waspkind. At this time of the year it’s easy to forget our yellowjacketed friends, but don’t be fooled: they are sleeping, awaiting the summer. The Asian Giant Hornet, Vespa mandarinia I was entertained to find, whilst reading Imgur’s ‘Best pictures of 2010’ one […]
Beewolf buzzing Ryde once more
In 2007 The Ranger wrote about his local colony of Philanthus triangulum, the European beewolf. Sadly, in 2008 the fearsome little things were nowhere to be found – perhaps they despaired of the dismal weather. In 2009 too I searched without success, but inspired by Ian Boyd’s find in Newchurch I recently went back for […]
The Hornet Whisperer
By Ruth D’Alessandro, The Wildlife Gardener The Wildlife Gardener has special powers. She can talk to hornets. Just recently she has had a couple of ‘up close and personal’ encounters with hornets that could have been quite nasty had she not talked her way out of them. The Wildlife Garden House is having a […]
What is the purpose of wasps?
What use are wasps? A perennial question. “Why did God make wasps?” is even asked as a theological poser – usually as a rhetorical question that can’t be answered. It is a question that comes with its own implied criticism – after all, nobody would ask “what is the purpose of butterflies?” (zero Google results […]