Saturday, September 12, 2015

Horntail Wasp

My contribution to Eileeninmd's Saturday's Critters #91. This is a Pigeon Tremex Horntail. Horntails are stingless wasps that lay their eggs in hardwood. Their chief natural enemy is the Giant Ichneumon Wasp, which drills its ovipositor into logs to lay an egg on the horntail larvae. (I have pictures of one here.)


These Cardinal flowers grow in sunny spots along the creek beds in W.V.:

And last but not least, a Columbus mourning dove (and my link to Anni's I'd Rather Be Birdin'):

Mouse over pics for captions, and click them for larger versions.
~

20 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Hello, the wasps are not favorites of mine. Since I've been stung by one. I do love the dove and the pretty Cardinal flower.
Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Have a happy weekend!

TexWisGirl said...

nice shot of the wasp and beautiful blooms!

Anni said...

Any dove is a favorite of mine!!! The one you found and photographed nearly blends in with its environment....awesome.

That deep rich red blossom, I bet, are absolutely gorgeous along the creek.

Thanks for stopping by this weekend and linking up at I'd Rather B Birdin'!!!

Big Bad Bald Bastard said...

The colors of that wasp are simply gorgeous. I also dig the dove, they are such sweet, shy birds.

Alexia said...

That wasp has fantastic colours, but even though it's stingless, it looks ferocious! The red flowers are stunning.

Nancy Chan said...

The wasp does look dangerous! The red flowers are pretty.

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

i love doves...they can sure blend in

Magia da Inês said...

-`✺´-
As fotos estão muito bonitas, gostei muito da flor.

Uma boa semana, cheia de surpresas agradáveis!
Beijinhos.
-`✿´-

Rajesh said...

Beautiful shots of the colorful creature.

Phil Slade said...

It sure looks like a stinger. A shame that it probably gets squashed by many folk because of that appearance?

NatureFootstep said...

I´m glad that one is stingless. Or I would not like to meet it. It seems to be large. :)

DeniseinVA said...

Great nature photos! I'm glad you educated us on this particular insect.

Marit said...

Beautiful photos! Here we have not seen any wasps this summer. Nice red flowers!

Christine said...

At least it has no sting but still looks wicked but I suppose that's the idea! Great close ups of them!

Hannah said...

That is a very decorative wasp, interesting that it is stingless. The red flowers are bright, I should try to grow them again. I love Mourning Doves, they make such nice cooing sounds, I finally had some in my yard this year but I haven't seen them lately.

Rambling Woods said...

I am trying to learn more about bees and wasps and to classify the ones I see here... Not there yet, but working on it...Michelle

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

I should learn more which wasps don't sting! Because I'm a little nervous of them on account of having been stung a few times.

EG CameraGirl said...

Very cool photos of the wasp! I wonder if we have that variety here in Ontario!

igd said...

Actually neither the Horntail nor the Ichneumon are wasps in the strict sense. Both are members of Hymenoptera(Ants, bees, wasp and kin) but are considered lesser hymenoptera (Suborder Symphyta)which also includes Sawflies. The group including Ichneumons is somtimes called "parasitic wood wasps" so the confusion is natural.

Cloudia said...

your posts are fresh as dew!











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