Alex Wild on insects, science, and photography
You didn’t think I’d just hand you guys a full-body shot of a common insect family, did you? Of course not. I am far too clever. The mystery insect, believe it or not, is not a mutillid. Instead, it’s this thing: Points are awarded as follows: 2 each to Piotr Naskrecki & Guillaume D for [...]
As many of you surmised, yesterday’s limerick referred to Siricid sawflies, also known as horntails. These insects are wasp-like in appearance, partly because they belong to the same order as wasps, Hymenoptera, and partly because the coloration of some species has converged on wasp-like stripes. Horntails belong to an older radiation, though, one that never [...]
For those of you who dislike spiders, I’d like to introduce you to your new favorite friend: The genus Pison refers to a small group of crabronid wasps containing about 200 species worldwide. These insects raise their young on a diet of living, but paralyzed, spiders. Paralyzed spiders don’t decay, staying fresh while the wasp [...]
After some guessing on the part of the commentariat and three visual hints, JasonC finally solved Monday’s psychedelic challenge. For that, I’ll award 5 points. I’ll also give Chris Grinter a point for being the first to guess the correct order, Hymenoptera. Sphex pensylvanicus, the great black wasp, provisions their larvae with katydids. Adults are [...]
For a change of pace, some scanning electron micrographs from the braconid wasp project I’ve been working on: I’ve had to re-calibrate my sense of imaging to make these pictures. Electron beams do not work like photons, and electron microscopy has a different set of quirks than standard light microscopy and macrophotography. These images are [...]
Now that dog day cicadas are out in full force, their giant wasp tormentors have emerged to gather the bounty. Female cicada killers (Sphecius speciosus) scour the trees for prey to fill their underground burrows, while males jostle for the territories that grant them mating rights. Several male cicada killers have set up shop in [...]
I was cleaning the back deck the other day when this walked by: Wasps in the family Pompilidae feed their young with captured spiders. This dietary preference turns out to have complications, however, as the wasp’s larvae typically develop over several weeks on a single prey individual. A wasp can’t just kill a spider and [...]
Although yesterday’s mystery looked like a mutant cross between a toothbrush and a barrette, it was actually the fore tarsi of this gal: At first glance the insect looked like a Formica ant worker. The color, texture, shape, and size are about right for Formica pallidefulva. On realizing what it was, though, I went running for [...]
My reaction on seeing this insect in the garden was the same as Eric Eaton’s on correctly guessing the family: “Way cool!” I’d never before seen a living stephanid wasp, but the elongate form and crown of spines on the head are distinctive enough to render these insects instantly recognizable. I don’t think I have [...]
…the ant parasitoids are reproducing: Sorry for the slow blogging of late. I’ve been sick with some godawful virus for the last week and a half and haven’t had the energy to keep up an ambitious blog schedule. photo details: Canon MP-E 65mm 1-5x macro lens on a Canon EOS 7D ISO 100, f/13, 1/250sec, [...]
A personal blog by Illinois-based biologist and photographer Alex Wild.
Myrmecos- derived from the ancient greek word for "ant"- hosts Alex's musings about these and other little creatures that share our planet.
Questions? Email alwild [at] myrmecos.net; or follow @Myrmecos on Twitter.
