This Great Golden Digger Wasp was visiting Culver's Root in my native gardens. This particular plant was given to me by a friend and native plant enthusiast some years before she passed from lung cancer. It's been providing food for pollinators, and memories for myself. Hennepin County, MN 07/16/24
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A few days ago I was out wandering and noticed this gigantic and menacing looking insect. It was easily over an inch long, with bright red legs and golden fuzz on parts of its body -similar to a Great Golden Digger Wasp. But its body was different, larger, and black with yellow striping. I initially wondered if it was one of those invasive "Murder Hornets" which arrived in the U.S. in 2019 I think. Thankfully, that initial guess was incorrect! It turns out this is an Eastern Cicada-killer Wasp. These solitary wasps are known for capturing cicadas, paralyzing them and then laying eggs on them. A gruesome, but common behavior in the insect world. Apparently they are not aggressive towards humans for the most part, and only the female can sting. I've heard about them years back but this was the first I'd ever seen in person. Hennepin County, MN 07/13/24
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A few days ago I was out wandering and noticed this gigantic and menacing looking insect. It was easily over an inch long, with bright red legs and golden fuzz on parts of its body -similar to a Great Golden Digger Wasp. But its body was different, larger, and black with yellow striping. I initially wondered if it was one of those invasive "Murder Hornets" which arrived in the U.S. in 2019 I think. Thankfully, that initial guess was incorrect! It turns out this is an Eastern Cicada-killer Wasp. These solitary wasps are known for capturing cicadas, paralyzing them and then laying eggs on them. A gruesome, but common behavior in the insect world. Apparently they are not aggressive towards humans for the most part, and only the female can sting. I've heard about them years back but this was the first I'd ever seen in person. Hennepin County, MN 07/13/24
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Brown-belted bumble bee(?) on Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly-weed) at Trout Brook Nature Sanctuary, Ramsey County, MN 06/29/24
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It's been a good year for Wild Lupine and I was happy to see it at Crow Hassan Park Reserve recently. This female Bumble Bee carrying lots of pollen on her hind legs was visiting the flowers. Crow-Hassan Park Reserve, Hennepin County, MN 05/19/24
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