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Spilopteron occiputale
Photo#672575
Copyright © 2012
Ilona L.
wasp -
Spilopteron occiputale
-
Cross Plains, Dane County, Wisconsin, USA
July 11, 2012
The smaller wasp was not at all intimidated by the larger one. When the larger one got too close, the smaller one would attack. I have posted a photo of the smaller wasp separately.
Images of this individual:
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Contributed by
Ilona L.
on 12 July, 2012 - 11:10am
Moved
This mixture of individuals seems to suggest the possibility that they were being attracted to honeydew.
Moved from
Ichneumon Wasps
.
…
Bob Carlson
, 12 July, 2012 - 11:54am
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A few leaves on different shr
A few leaves on different shrubs are attracting a lot of these wasps so it's been quite a treat to photograph them.
…
Ilona L.
, 12 July, 2012 - 12:10pm
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Attraction
Yes, when they are feeding on sugary substances on the leaves they tend to give the photographer more opportunities for multiple photos. That is why I resorted to the tactic of spraying artificial honeydew on foliage in my yard. When I went to the store with the intention of buying some plain corn syrup, I saw that Hershey's Strawberry Syrup was actually a bit cheaper than the store's own brand of corn syrup. So I bought the artificially flavored and colored strawberry stuff, put a little in a spray bottle and filled the rest of the container with water. The dilute mixture was still strong enough to have a distinctly sweet smell, which I can only presume, from the speed with which insects showed up, was attrative to them. I nicknamed this mixture "strawberry dew," and you can see the droplets of it in some of the pictures I have posted on BG.
For example
.
…
Bob Carlson
, 12 July, 2012 - 12:44pm
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"strawberry dew"
Oh, I'm going to have to try doing that, too.
…
Ilona L.
, 12 July, 2012 - 1:33pm
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Disclaimer
I don't own any Hershey stock. :)
…
Bob Carlson
, 12 July, 2012 - 1:40pm
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Okay:) I do notice that wasp
Okay:) I do notice that wasps always swarm around the Hummingbird feeders, much to the chagrin of the Hummingbirds. I've also noticed that when I dump the old sugar water out of the feeders onto some plants, the wasps congregate on the plants.
…
Ilona L.
, 12 July, 2012 - 1:49pm
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Wasps
I presume that critters like
Polistes
or
Vespula
wouldn't be hummingbird friendly.
Vespula
are also disruptive for those more interested in photographing parasitic Hymenoptera, as they tend to be aggressive in protecting a food supply. But the ants are the most aggressive of all, and much larger wasps are easily chased away even by small ants. When it is the one you are trying to get a picture of that gets chased away by ants, it can be very annoying
…
Bob Carlson
, 12 July, 2012 - 2:06pm
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hornets and ants
Ants do seem to be fearless. I have some photos taken a few years ago of a Bald-faced Hornet feeding on some sugar-water soaked paper with an ant biting at its hind leg. The hornet had to keep moving to avoid the ant.
…
Ilona L.
, 12 July, 2012 - 3:05pm
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